Lost On The Path Of Life
by VolleyNerdD'Etolies
Summary: Ann and Jane are swept up in a world of magic, dragons, gold and of course hobbits and dwarves! Ann and Jane join the company of Thorin Oakenshield and struggle to keep up in an adventure to reclaim Erebor and defeat an infamous dragon Smaug and along the way reclaim lost gold. First they must get to the lonely mountain, for the road of life is perilous and one may easily get lost.
1. Just Dropping into Middle Earth

So here they were, walking on a beaten dirt path to some port that would take them New Zealand, in the middle of May, and laughing at the wombat who was trying to eat a piece of grass that was about the size as its face.

"Wait I think he's going to try another angle." Ann snorted. "Hey what d'ya think about sneaking one of these home, and keeping it as a pet?"

"I think that mom and dad would kill us, and have to bust us out of the airport because living creatures that didn't come with us aren't allowed back." Jane smiled.

"Well, say we beat the odds, would you be down?"

"Ann Marie! Of course not, those things probably have fleas."

"Mary Jane!" Ann rolled her eyes. "Ok, don't be adventurous." Ann laughed "See where that gets you."

"With a stable life." Jane teased. " Anyway, I think it's about time for us to hurry up."

Ann checked her watch. "Nah we have an hour to walk five kilometers."

Jane nodded. "Can you get me an apple from your pack?"

"Here" Ann swung her backpack so it was balanced on one arm, and dug an apple and silver digital camera out of her bag "is your camera."

"That went missing last month." Jane gave Ann a pointed stare.

Ann shrugged. "I found it in my bag with some very convenient sd cards and extra batteries.

Jane just smiled and shook her head.

The trip to New Zealand from Australia is mild one, two days long, and with no promise of good weather, even with the best of luck, the Dunmall twins apparently had none. On the first day it was windy with a bleak sun shining through a sky made of mostly clouds. On the second day, it was rainy, windy, cold, and the storm was getting very violent as the twins were riding the waves to a pier near turoa, where they would hike to the "lonely mountain".

That meant getting there first. Without falling off the boat, and drowning.

"We are definitely going to drown!" Ann yelled to be heard over the wind.

"You know how to swim!" Jane reminded her. "You'll be fine!"

"Not when I have my pack and have a ton of clothes on! They'll weigh me down and I'll sink!"

Jane threw herself back and groaned.

They fell into a moody silence, as they continually pulled up their hoods and wiped water of their eyes.

Their guide stumbled toward them. "Uh, mates, sorry to say but we've run out of gasoline."

Ann raised her eyebrows, which was barely noticeable in the gale, and shouted "We are so drowning!"

Jane shook her head and stood up. "I am sorry for her dramatics, but is there anything that we can do?"

Ann stood up and rolled her shoulders. "Might as well get fully soaked."

Jane sent Ann a look.

'Get a hold on yourself.' It read

Ann stuck her tongue out at Jane.

'I just choose to give myself an extraordinarily long leash.' Ann smirked, and Jane just rolled her eyes.

They followed the guide to the pilots little roofed room, where they were then put to work reading and logging the stats given to them by the many dials on the dash.

It was mildly comfortable, and the storm was looking less and less violent as an hour passed.

"We are traveling along the coast, for now, to escape most of the storm." The guide explained nervously. "We might hit a violent patch, but if we keep our speed then we'll get through it quickly." At this both Ann and Jane looked out the window, where the rain had dwindled to a soft pitter patter.

Jane nodded. "I'll get our stuff then."

She was already out the door when the guide looked up with a look of panic on his face. "No, mate, we are hitting the violent-"

Thunder boomed, and the sky went dark.

"Shit." Ann looked up. "Gimme a minute. Just a sec, we'll be back."

Ann only had to turn the knob for the door to be blown open. She pulled her jacket tighter around her, and stumbled to a lump on the deck, that was clutching two huge backpacking packs.

Ann tripped and sprawled out next to Jane, as the boat veered sharply to one side, and they slid a few feet.

Jane pushed Ann her bag, and they each stood up and shouldered them. The deck tilted again, and Jane fell into Ann, who caught her instinctively and gave her a push toward the captain's room.

They both made their way over, step by painstaking step. When they were almost there, the captain flung the door open and reached out as to grab them- he never got the chance.

The deck tilted to the left, and they both slipped, and fell right into the rail. Ann grabbed Jane's hand, and the rail with the other. The rail was wet, and had no grip. Ann tried to pull Jane back up

Jane clutched Ann's arm and their eyes met with a distinct clarity. Then Ann's hand slipped, and that was that.

The water was cold. That was all Ann could think about, that and the fact that she had lost hold of Jane's arm as soon as they had hit the water, terror seeped into her when she thought of Jane dying, of them dying. Her pack was still around her shoulders, it was weighing her down. She struggled to swim up a little, but in the end it was too much. Ann tried to get her pack off, the straps were around her shoulders. The world blurred, and Ann gave up. What would happen? Would they go anywhere, Ann didn't think they were good enough for heaven, but they were close enough, right? Ann coughed, and bubbles were ripped out of her mouth. Jane was always the strong swimmer. Ann clutched her nose, and brought her knees up, her lungs felt like they were going to fall in on themselves. Ann's ears started to get uncomfortably high pressured. Ann tried to pop them back, but they just wouldn't work. The world blurred, and Ann felt her eyes closing, she knew she should stay awake, or else that would be the quite literal end of her, but she was just so tired.

Her lungs hurt, and Jane was clutching onto a bit of Ann's sleeve that had ripped off when they hit the water. She tried to get her pack off, but it was like it didn't want to, the shoulder strap kept on catching at her arm. The world blurred and Jane looked around, black spots danced across her vision, and everything sort of blurred together again. It must be one of the side effects of drowning, Jane thought to herself. But all of a sudden the water looked a little lighter, and Jane was sitting on the sandy lake bed, with watery sunlight filtering down onto her.

Immediately Jane shoved off of the lake bed and propelled herself up toward the surface. She reached it surprisingly fast, and hoisted herself onto the river bank. After coughing and gulping down air, Jane shrugged her pack and looked around for Ann, she was about to dive into the water when two heads emerged, one who wasn't coughing and didn't a huge pack. The other was Ann, in all her half drowned glory, which is to say, none.

Jane jumped into the river and grabbed Ann's pack from the bottom, then swam to the two heads and grabbed Ann, hauling her off to the bank, the stranger, who Jane could now identify as a man, followed after them.

"Is this yours?" Jane looked up from a coughing Ann, to a brown haired man, with long braided hair holding her pack.

"It just happens to be." Jane held out a hand, and her pack was given to her.

"Thanks a ton." Jane looked at the person who had jumped in. "She's my sister."

"Fili, at your service." Jane masked her surprise, she knew a Fili, however he was a fictional character, who lived in a fictional world. The guy, who probably had light colored hair (but Jane couldn't really tell, as it was wet) also wore it long and braided, or dwarf style.

"Jane, at yours and your families." Jane smiled and decided to just play along.

"I'm Ann, if any of you were wondering." Ann stood up, and tried to dust off her pants, and failed.

"Kili."

"Alright then, where are you headed to?" Ann said joyfully picking up her pack. "And more importantly, can we come with you because I'm afraid we've gotten lost on the path of life."

Jane snorted into her sleeve.

Fili and Kili looked at each other, then Kili nodded. "We are headed to a family, um, meeting, and of course, we'll see to it that you have proper lodgings before separating ways."

Fili gave Ann a look. "What do you mean, you 'got lost on the path of life'? that doesn't make any sense."

"It's a figure of speech." Jane covered. "Much like out of the frying pan, and into the fire."

Ann gave Jane a look, 'Really'?

Jane just smiled, and started rooting around on the ground, looking for the things that had fallen out of her pack. "Here, you two go on ahead, don't want you to be late." Jane motioned for the two men to go.

"I insist on staying with you, Ann and Fili will go and get the weapons sharpened." Kili crossed his arms.

"Alright." Jane nodded slowly.

"Then you two will renew supplies, since we'll have to wait for my weapons."

So off Fili and Ann went.

It was a while before anyone was really dry enough to be comfortable.

"Your garb is interesting, and not traditional I think." Fili commented at last, breaking the silence.

"What of it?" Ann tilted her head. "What I wear is solely my business."

"True, but you are coming to the meeting with us, and my uncle, is very disapproving, of strangers."

"You're saying it would help if I looked normal." Ann nodded "Or I could just look like this, and wing it."

Fili gave her a look. "What do you mean wing it? You, you can't fly."

"As far as you know, and it's slang, from my home." Ann looked down. "Plus I think I look good."

Fili sighed and shook his head. "You are a very headstrong person, Ann."

Ann laughed. "Yeah, it's one of my more charming traits."

"So where did you come from?" Fili looked sideways at her and shifted his pack.

"Wrong question, it's where am I going?" Ann smiled.

"Why would you say that?" Fili looked at her again.

"It goes like this. You are walking down a road, and there's mist in front of you, so you can't see exactly where you're going, but you look behind you, and you see every place you've ever been. If you keep looking behind you, you'll never go where you want to go, you'll veer off to the side and off the road or something."

"What about on your left and right?" Fili grinned. "What if a wild olliphant attacks you."

"Well then a huge eagle will come and carry it to it's nest, where it-"

"Will die because an archer shot it."

"The archer would be an elf then."

"That's horse shit." Fili crossed his arms.

"Come up with an alternative." Ann smiled.

"The eagle and olliphant land on the elf."

"Who's brother is the goblin azog."

"Then a dwarf come and saves the fair lady." Fili smiled.

"But the lady was already dead of hunger, because the dwarf took so long."

"So the dwarf brought her back to life."

"Fair enough." Anna nodded

"The dwarf gave her gifts of gold and flowers and chocolates-"

"But the lady rejected his offers and challenged him to a duel."

"What?" Fili raised his eyebrows.

"The lady told him, that he must be a better swordsman than her in order to marry, so she knew she would be well protected." Ann grinned.

"Because the maiden was a princess, who incited the ire of the goblins and orcs."

"Yeah because it's really hard to incite the wrath of an orc." Ann nodded. "No, she angered a dragon."

"She killed the dragons brother."

"His brother was a jerk." Ann grinned.

"That is true, but alas they were close brothers."

"While they were dueling the dragon snuck up behind the girl, and was about to blow dragon fire onto the maiden-"

"When the man ran away screaming."

"To draw the dragon away."

"Alright, the dragon followed him."

"Which gave the maiden a chance to strike him down." Fili watched as Ann weighed her next words.

"The dragon snarled and the blade sunk deep into its chest, straight through its heart. The girl ran around to the front of the dragon, so he could see who killed him. But as the last breath of the dragon passed through its mouth, he imbued it with fire so hot, that the very air caught fire."

Fili's mouth was hanging open. "Well, then, the girl is dead, but what about the man?"

"The man lived on, and never loved another, for the hold the dead maiden had on his heart was too strong, the wildflowers in the meadow, reminded him of her hair, swaying in the breeze, the market reminded him of her, so full of life, and brimming with happiness."

"Isn't there supposed to be a happy ending?" Fili shook his head.

"Life isn't always sunshine and daisies." Ann shrugged. "Though I have been told that I'm awfully morbid."

It just didn't make any sense, why would the stuff begone, Jane and Kili had checked along the bank, nothing had fallen out. So the million dollar question was, where had it gone?

"Are these items really important? Because we are going to miss Fili and Ann." Kilil reasoned, breaking Jane out of her reverie.

"Well, no not expressly but-"

"Then we'll go, Fili and I barely got ourselves in on this adventure, and it would not do to get ourselves unincluded." Kili nodded and started walking.

Jane looked longingly at the river, then sighed and followed Kili. "So what's this about an adventure?"

"Nothing it's a family meeting, nothing more." Kili looked at her sharply, almost reprimandingly.

"You called it an adventure, and I'm not going on until you tell me about it." Jane looked imperiously at him, and sank to the path, laying down like a starfish.

"Get up, or we'll be late, and my uncle's ire will be unleashed upon you." Kili looked up the path, then back at Jane.

"Tell me about your adventure." Jane rolled over onto her stomach.

"I'm leaving now, come on or you'll be left behind." Kili took a few half hearted steps away from Jane then stopped.

"Then Ann's ire will be afflicted unto you, what do you think will happen when you return without her twin? What will Fili think? More importantly, it will seem like you weren't good enough to save me, from whatever idea Ann will cook up."

"What do you mean?" Kili came over and stared down at her.

"Ann has an unbridled imagination, and is as stubborn as a bull. once she thinks of something, you'll be condemned for it." Jane sat up. "And your uncle won't let you go on the adventure."

Kili looked up at the sky and groaned. "Why do I get stuck with the troublesome ones?"

"Troublesome?" Jane laughed. "You should see Ann when she's angry, now that's troublesome."

"Well…" Kili shifted from foot to foot, and opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. He sighed, and put his hand on the pommel of his sword.

Knowing that the matter was won, Jane grinned and sat up.

"I can't leave you here, for honorous purposes." Kili sat down next to her.

"So?" Jane pressed.

"Well, for one, a maiden alone on the road, bad things would hail you."

"What do you mean by that?" Jane's tone was low and guarded.

"Well you would need a man taking care of you for one." Kili smiled.

"Alright then, first of all you're lucky Ann isn't here, she would've slapped you into tomorrow." Jane started "second of all, why do women need to be taken care of by men? Oh that's right! We don't, I can take care of myself thanks."

Kili sat there and blinked. "No, I meant that men have more brute strength than women, so it is up to us, to you know, make sure your safe and all that." Kili scratched the back of his neck. And with that he was hoisted out of his grave.

"Now, your adventure?" Jane stood up, dusting herself off, she started walking, leaving Kili to laugh and point out that they were headed the other way.

"Now where are we meeting Fili?" Jane trudged next to Kili, who looked like he hadn't even started walking, even though they hadn't been walking for over an hour.

"At the forge, he's getting our weapons sharpened." Kili explained.

Jane cringed. "Ann going to the forge was not the greatest idea."

Kili shook his head. "She's old enough to look after herself." He stared at her for a moment. "How old are you two?"

Jane laughed again. "Where we come from it's rude to ask a lady her age."

Kili nodded. "Then I'll wager you are about.." He scanned her once more. "Seventy five.'

"Nope."

"Am I close?"

"Not really."

"Eighty?" Kili guessed.

"Worse."

"Seventy?" Kili sounded scandalized. "You look old."

"Wow. That was great, might as well tell me I look fat and ugly too."

"Why would being fat an insult?" Kili raised his hands.

"To us it's considered unattractive."

"Then how old are you?"

"Not telling." Jane smiled shook her head and they continued, but now that Kili was curious, Jane knew he would keep on springing how old are you doing the weirdest times.

"Ooooh look it's something sharp." Ann skipped into the forge. Ignoring the smith and his wife talking at the counter.

"Could you sharpen these hurriedly please? My brother is due to be here any time, and I wouldn't like to be late." Fili dropped a bundle of knives, daggers, and the like into the poor smith's arms.

"We wouldn't be late if you hadn't refused to stop and get directions." Ann smiled sweetly. "We could've been here an hour ago."

"I knew where we were going." Fili muttered "The map is outdated."

"Tis always the case m'dears." The smiths old wife came away from the counter.

"How're you doing?" Ann asked politely, quite unsure of what to do."

"Splendid but for a companion to share tea with now that my husband's working." She gestured to the back where you could hear metal things being done.

"I can't say no to some tea." Ann grinned and turned Fili. "You can go look at the sharp things."

Fili chuckled and wandered off toward the display of swords and knives.

"What brings you here child?" The woman handed her a chipped tea cup, and led her to a seat. "I can see dark things in your future."

"Oh, you can do that, can you? What else do you see? Have you gotten dreams or-"

"Hush, not is not the time for mindless twittering. What brings you here?" The lady, who looked a little less friendly questioned. "It is rare that one from another place and time should come here, especially one so young."

"What do you mean by another place and time, my sister and I fell off a boat, and we just popped out of nowhere-"

"Ahh, the worst type of travelings." The lady smiled sympathetically at her.

"What is the worst type of traveling?" Ann said slowly, forcing herself not to explode at the crone.

"Through the dark space, the space in which only one holds domain. He rules all and none at all, but everyone will eventually come to him."

The smith came out again carrying Fili's pile of weapons. Fili was handing him coins, and a panic seemed to build inside of Ann.

"What do you mean, who do you mean?" Ann rushed. "And whatever it is why did it pick me?"

The lady took her tea cup from her and led her back to the door.

"Death my dear." The lady frowned at her, and went to the back room.

"What is that all? You're just going to tell me I'm death traveling?" Ann opened her mouth. "No the answer is no, you're not going to." Ann took a step forward, fully prepared to storm in there demanding answers.

"Ann are you two done? Kili and Jane are just outside." Ann turned around and looked at Fili, who was looking at her expectantly.

"Just a moment dear. I was getting a gift for her." The old lady appeared smiling. "You shouldn't rush your wife you know, or she might burn your dinner."

"Aye, they do that many times before you learn to like it." The smith nodded.

Ann raised her eyebrows and a tint appeared on her cheeks, as Fili turned away coughing.

"Here," The lady pressed a necklace and a bracelet each with thirteen vials of different powders and pushed her toward the door "congratulations you two."

With that they were out in the market square, looking at each other with blank but red faces.

"There they are!" Ann heard Jane shout. "I found them first! You owe me two gold."

Kili sighed and handed Jane two coins.

Jane shoved the coins into her pocket. "Why're your faces as red as tomatoes?"

"We were mistaken for a newlywed couple." Fili coughed into his arm.

"Are you sick?" Ann looked at him closely.

Jane grinned and held out her hand. Kili reluctantly parted with another two gold.

"Did you really agree to that bet?" Fili raised his eyebrows at Kili.

"I told him how close and unaware of the awkward Ann could be and he didn't believe me.

"At least I got this cool necklace out of it." Ann grinned and held up the twelve vialed chain.

"Why can't I get stuff like this?" Jane groaned.

"Because I'm lucky and you're clever, that's why you got the gold and I the necklace." Ann shrugged. "But

"We better hurry." Kili said. "We might be late-"

"For supper, and there might not be anything left, because our relatives eat a lot." Fili shot Kili a warning glance.

"Don't worry. Kili already told me." Jane smiled.

"You told her? We haven't even met her for a day and you told her about the quest to return to Erebor?"

"Nice Fili." Ann cut in, seeing how Kili's flapping mouth wasn't going to close itself anytime soon, and Jane's smirk wouldn't come off for a while. "She has probably been trying to get that out of Kili the whole day and just tricked you into telling her."

"That's true brother." Kili frowned. "Now we must take them with us."

"Score." Jane and Ann high fived, and Ann pressed the bracelet into Jane's palm.

"I told you she was the clever one." Ann shrugged. "She just clevers her way into everything."

"I don't think you can clever into something." Fili told Ann imperiously.

"Jane just did."

"Wow what a great walk here you must;'ve had, now we must walk up the hill before Jane clevers herself into everything." Kili said.

Ann promptly fell on the ground and lay there unmoving.

"I think she's asleep." Jane nodded. "Fili give Kili your pack and carry Ann."

"What why do I have to carry his pack?" Kili moaned.

"Would you rather carry her?"

"Fili give me your pack."

Fili tossed his pack to Kili and hoisted Ann onto his back, and arranged her arms around his neck so they wouldn't dangle while he was walking.

"How much've you two had to eat lately?" Fili asked Jane softly. "She weighs barely anything."

Jane looked at Fili for a long time before replying. "Ann is one of the most healthiest people you will have the pleasure to meet, unfortunately she is very slim." Jane smiled. "But you'll see when we reach the place where we are going to eat supper, she'll eat twice as much as you or I."

"That's quite a claim, being able to eat twice as much as a dwarf." Fili grinned, his jesting mood returning. "Let's hope she will be awake enough to do it."

"Oh I'm awake, I just didn't walk to walk up this dreadfully long and tall hill." Ann rested her chin on Fili's shoulder. "And if I'm so light, you shouldn't have a problem carrying me."

Kili laughed from a few doors up. "I think I found it Jane, right where you said, Bag End, Shire, Top of the Hill!"

"Why did you not trust me, doubtful one?" Jane laughed.

Fili met Kili's eyes and both of them silently voiced their suspicion, why had Jane known about the place they were going, when they had voiced no directions? She knew something.

And with that, they were at the door.


	2. When the Clock Strikes Eleven

Ann hopped off Fili's back and groaned. "I'm hungry."

Kili sighed and knocked on the door.

"Really? What about the bread I bought you in town?" Fili smirked amusedly at her.

"I already ate those, a while back, and I'm huungryy." Ann placed the back of her hand against her forehead and pretended to swoon. "I might starve to death."

"There'll be food at the meeting, and lots of it." Fili grinned.

The door opened and a confused looking short person stepped into view. "Oh no."

"Fili."

"And Kili.

"At your service." They bowed together leaving Ann and Jane to fend for themselves.

"I'm Ann Marie."

"I'm Mary Jane."

"Nice to meet you." Ann high fived Jane and smiled.

"You must be Mr. Boggins." Kili said.

"Nope, you can't come in, you've come to the wrong house, there's to be no dwarf party here." He hurried to shut the door, but Ann giving an undignified scoff jammed the door open with her foot and propped it open.

"Nope. Your answer isn't accepted. I was promised food, and I'm not leaving without it." To prove her point Ann sat in the doorway.

"Has it been canceled?" Kili asked.

"Doesn't matter I'm still not going to leave." Ann said from the doorway.

"No nothing has been canceled, and please do stand up, it's disconcerting to have a lady sitting on my doorstep."

Ann stood up, stretched, set her pack down in the hall and started to wonder about the house.

"Be careful with these." Fili unloaded his knives and various weapons onto Boggins.

"Where is the bathroom?" Jane asked politely. "And don't mind those guys, and of course Ann. They mean well. Do you want any help?"

Boggins looked flustered. "No, it's quite alright."

"Just unexpected, I know the feeling." Jane smiled warmly. "The bathroom then?"

"Fourth room on the right, Jane was it?"

"Yeah, and thanks." Jane strolled away.

"Hey look at this. The pantry! Food!" Ann grinned and looked around on the shelves.

"Excuse me miss. Who're you, an what is your business in this establishment?" A dwarf with white hair and a surprisingly long beard stepped out from behind a shelf with a taller darker haired dwarf behind him.

"Oh hullo, I'm a friend." Ann waved. "HEY FILI!" Fili hurried into the pantry, which was cramped with four people now in it. "Do you know these people?"

"Oh these are my relatives." Fili said nonchalantly.

"Well where's the food?" Ann crossed her arms. "You think I'm going to wait for the throng to arrive?"

"What did you tell her of our meeting?" The dark haired dwarf said threateningly.

"Nothing, which was annoying." Ann faced the shelves and started rummaging around the food. "But he's nice."

"How did you meet her?" The dark haired dwarf continued as if Ann wasn't even there.

"Excuse me." Shadows gathered in Ann's eyes. "I don't care if you're his uncle or whatever, but you will acknowledge me as a person, bub. I hungry, and there's no more biscuits left! What the hell? You're being rude! You didn't introduce yourself, and haven't expected the common courtesies that are expected! Really now, it's not okay." Ann exhaled loudly and grabbed something off the shelf.

"Hello, my name is Ann." She folded her arms and glared at Fili, who seemed to wilt under her gaze. "And Fili here had better find me some rum."

Fili scurried off and Ann directed her gaze to the to dwarves who looked slightly surprised.

"My name is Balin." The white haired dwarf said at last. "And this is my brother Dwalin."

"At your service." Dwalin said gruffly.

"Well then. Now that's done, I'm going to walk around and figure out why you all are here." Ann nodded at Balin.

"Lass, that'll be covered soon enough." Balin spoke. "We must wait till our head comes to convene but we will answer your questions if you answer ours."

"Fair enough." Ann turned and walked away, passing Fili who was walking into the pantry with two tankards.

"Perfect!" Ann laughed and grabbed one. "Come sit with me."

They didn't sit for long. They were joined by more, introduced by Fili who names Ann forgot the instant they were spoken. They moved tables, and Jane needed help with preparing the food. So Ann recruited dwarves to help. It was a switching game of follow the leader between Fili and Ann.

Soon they were laughing and joking around. Fili was carting food out of the pantry and Kili was in the kitchen, supposedly he made a mean pork chop.

"Stop, nope, you can't have those, no wait!" Poor old Boggins.

"Mr. Boggins, how do you expect us to feast without food?" Ann groaned.

"It's Bilbo if you please, and no one told me about a feast!"

"Mr. Bilbo, we are having a feast with eleven dwarves, two girls, and a really tall wizard guy named Gandalf, and of course our star host, you!"

"Thank you for such a long notice." Bilbo chuckled dryly.

"You're very welcome! Now come, join in with the festivities, it's going to be great." Ann grinned and walked toward the kitchen, where she bumped into Gandalf.

"Come, we need to talk." He gripped her jacket- "Hey what're you-" and dragged her outside, where Jane was already sitting on a porch chair.

"How did you get here?" Gandalf blew a smoke ring on his pipe.

"Well we don't really-" Jane began, twiddling her fingers nervously.

"I think we might've died." Ann deadpanned. "Because the one forger's wife gave me this." Ann took the necklace out from under her shirt revealing the thirteen vials. "She said something about death traveling."

"That we shall see." Gandalf said vaguely. "That necklace is to keep you anchored to a certain realm. These powders will keep you anchored to Middle Earth."

"Did you bring us here?" Jane questioned. "Regular people can't death walk, can they?"

"Only mages can." Gandalf nodded.

"Well that's great." Ann stuck her jaw out. "Come out Fili."

Fili walked out of the bush, with a guilty frown on his face.

"Swear on your honor that you will tell noone that I wish not them to know." Ann crossed her arms.

"I swear."

"Alright then help us figure out how to get us to come with you." Ann laughed. "Trust fall!" Ann through herself back at Fili, who caught her at the last moment, his reflexes almost failing.

"What was that?" Fili set Ann straight up. "You could've hurt yourself."

"But I trusted you to catch me, like I'm going to trust you from now on."

Jane started laughing. "She's going to do that randomly from now on."

"Great." Fili muttered good naturedly.

They walked back into the house, where the dwarves were just sitting down to eat.

"Here mister Gandalf." A dwarf with braided white hair handed him a glass of wine. "It's got a fruity bouquet."

They started eating and laughing. No one but Dwalin had a problem with the Dunmall twins being there.

"So how did you meet up with those two?" Dwalin glared at Ann.

"Oh, so Fili and Kili come out of nowhere and shove me and Jane into the river, almost drowning us." Fili started choking. Ann barely paused.

"That's not how it happened." Fili choked out. Kili kind of just sat there looking amused.

"You're right." Ann nodded in his direction. "Then they captured us and forced us to listen to their horrible jokes. Like why was the bakers business toast? Because his bakery burnt down."

A few guffaws were heard around the table, and Fili continued to choke, and Kili burst out laughing.

Ann grinned "So my twin and I-"

"Wait, you are twins?" A red headed dwarf asked.

"Yeah. Same mum and all." Jane nodded.

There were mumbles about good luck and someone asked when they were born.

"June thirteenth, under the blessing of the Gemini zodiac, am I wrong?" Gandalf leaned forward.

"No, you're right, how did you know though?" Jane said keeping her words flat and guarded.

"It's a sign of great luck!" Fili burst out. "You are a good luck charm, meant to see our quest succeed!"

There was cheering around the table.

"What happened after they kidnapped you lass?" Balin asked amusedly.

"They forced us to eat their horrible food." Jane added. "Kili's days were the worst.

Aye's were heard around the table.

"Then they tried to ditch us." Ann shrugged. "But we came here to exact our revenge."

"What'll that revenge be?" Someone said good naturedly.

"To put up with us the entire journey." Ann laughed.

Then Ann let the others talk, and listened while scarfing down food as fast as she could.

When all the food was gone (all except the ale of course!) The group stood up and started throwing the plates glasses and silverware around.

The dwarves still at the table began pounding on it with their knives and fists.

"Hey, stop that!" Bilbo came barging in carrying a doily. "You'll blunt them."

"Ooh d'hear that lads? He says we'll blunt the knives." The one that Ann thought was Bofur said.

Fili pulled her to the side of the sink next to Jane and Kili.

And with that they started singing.

"Blunt the knives, bend the forks

Smash the bottles and burn the corks

Chip the glasses and crack the plates

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!

Cut the cloth and tread on the fat

Leave the bones on the bedroom mat

Pour the milk on the pantry floor

Splash the wine on every door

Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl

Pound them up with a thumping pole

When you've finished, if any are whole

Send them down the hall to roll

...

That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"

Everything was cleaned perfectly and put away nicely. The look on Bilbo's face was priceless.

Ann laughed, this was fun! Leaning against Fili, she realized that traveling with the dwarves might not be too hard.

Then, there were three hard resounding knocks on the door, as if the person knocking realized those inside might not hear him over the festivities.

The room fell silent, and at last Gandalf said "He is here."

"Who's here?" Ann faced Fili, who looked like he was excited and dreading the person at the door.

"My uncle."

Fili's uncle was tall for a dwarf, and therefore taller than Ann and Jane (sadly).

"Gandalf." He entered the house. "I thought you said this place was easy to find, I wouldn't have found it at all if the mark on the door wasn't there."

"What mark? There's no mark on my door." Bilbo crossed his arms and looked at Gandalf.

There was a semi-awkward silence. "There is a mark on your door, I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins allow me to introduce you to Thorin Oakenshield, head of this company."

Ann would've sworn Thorin smirked. "So this is our Hobbit. Have you any skill with a blade?"

"Pardon?" Ann sighed. She knew Thorin's type, they would walk over anyone and everyone who doesn't adhere to their will.

"Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?" Ann's blood began to boil.

"I have some skill at conkers, if you must know. But I fail to see what that's relevant."

"I thought as much." Thorin said to the rest of the group. "He looks more like a grocer than a burglar.

"And you look more like a vagabond than a king trying to reclaim his throne." Jane stepped in front of Thorin.

A pregnant silence filled the room.

"You can do that to people when you're in your own home Thorin Oakenshield, but right now you're in his." Ann stepped next to Jane. "He is your host, and you will treat him as such." Her voice rang with authority.

"And who might you be? Which cat dragged you in?" Thorin frowned at them.

"I'm Jane and this is Ann."

"And I think that Fili and Kili think of themselves as hounds not cats." Ann nodded. "But in the meantime, you have business to discuss, do you not?"

Thorin sat down and ate, while the rest of the company talked to him.

"What news from Ered Luin?" Someone said.

Fili eased into the chair beside Ann. "You shouldn't have done that." He whispered fearfully. "There's no force here that could make him bring you with him now."

"Jane will clever us into it." Ann's complete trust in Jane astounded Fili.

"Alright then." Fili settled down.

Gandalf was spreading out a map. "Far to the East over Ranges and Rivers beyond woodland and wasteland, lies a single solitary peak."

"The lonely mountain. "Bilbo said softly leaning over Gandalf's shoulder to read the map.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it's time!"

"Ravens are returning to the mountain, as it is foretold. When the birds of yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end." Oin said knowledgeably.

"What beast?" Bilbo said shakily.

"Ah, that would be reference to Smaug the terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne, teeth like razors. claws like meat hooks, extremely fond of precious metals-"

"Uh, yes, I know what a dragon is." Bilbo stuck his thumbs into his his trouser pockets.

"I'm not afraid! I'll give him a taste of dwarvish righ-"

"Sit down!"

"The task would be difficult with an army ahead of us. But we number just thirteen."

"Excuse me seventeen, or are you just counting dwarves?" Ann muttered.

"And we aren't the thirteen brightest nor best."

"Who are you callin dim?"

"You want a piece of me?"

"Watch it!"

It's amusing really, to see a group of dwarves break out yelling and cursing at each other.

"We may be few in number." Fili stood up and pounded his fist on the table. "But we are fighters, down to the very last dwarf."

"And we have the wizard Gandalf! He'll have killed hundreds of dragons in his time!" Kili shouted enthusiastically. Everyone turned to stare at Gandalf.

"Oh well know, I wouldn't say that, I-" Gandalf looked awkward, being put on the spot.

"How many then?"

"What?"

"Yeah, give us a number!"

"Hm."

"Quiet!" Thorin bellowed. "If we have read the signs, do you not think that others will have read them too?" He pounded his fist on the table, though the room was already silent. "Rumours have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?"

At this the dwarves started cheering.

"You forget the front gate is sealed, there is no way into the mountain." Balin said silencing the room again.

"That, my friend Balin, isn't entirely true." Gandalf twiddled a key between his fingers.

"How came you by this?" Thorin asked his fingers twitching, as if he was struggling not to snatch it right out Gandalf's hands.

"It was given to me for safekeeping by your father Thrain, for safekeeping. It is now yours." gandalf barely held the key out to Thorin, when it was snatched out of his fingers by Thorin.

"If there's a key there must be a door." Fili said in awe.

"Great observation Fili." Ann deadpanned.

"Dwarf doors are impossible to see when closed." Gandalf took a breath on his pipe."The answer lies in the map, but I have not the skill to find it. There are those who can, but the task that lies ahead requires stealth and no small amount of luck. But if we are clever and careful. It can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar too!" Someone said.

"A pretty good one too, I reckon." Bilbo rocked back on his heals and stuck his thumbs in his belt loops.

"And are you?" Gloin asked.

"Am I what?" Bilbo's eyebrows furrowed.

"He's an expert!" Someone called amidst loud cheering.

"M-me? No, no, no, no, no, no! I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo looked skittish.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Mister Baggins." Balin sighed. "He's hardly burglar material."

"Aye the wild is no place for those who can't fight or fend for themselves." Dwalin nodded.

Ann sighed as a squabble broke out in between the dwarves.

Shadows crawled across the room toward Gandalf. "Enough! If I say Bilbob is a burglar, then a burglar he is." The room was dead silent, and Ori looked like he was going to cry.

"Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this."

"Did you know that in our language that four has a second meaning." Firelight flickered onto Jane's face.

"What is it?" Thorin sat back.

"Death by the most gruesome way possible. One that is reserved for traitors, oath breakers. One that doesn't even show itself in your nightmares." Ann's face twisted into a smile.

"Well that's great." Kili muttered. "I guess we're all going to die then."

Then ensued a nervous chatter, in which people tried to figure out the pros and cons of having fourteen.

"Hold on a minute. You said it had been sixty years, what if the door collapsed? Or would smaug know about it? Would he expect us and have ruined the entrance?" Ann leaned forward. "How more importantly are you going to get there? If I've even one clue about what goes on here, I know that the path to Erebor is just as dangerous as the dragon."

"That's why we'll have to bring you as advisors." Fili nodded as if the matter had been settled. "We'll have sixteen, a number of great luck."

"And they're both very knowledgeable." Kili added.

"A fine addition they'll make." Gandalf too nodded.

"Fine we'll do it your way." Thorin ground his teeth together. "We are taking the grocer and the two girls."

"What?" Bilbo, who had been silent jumped forward.

"Give him the contract."

"Please." Bilbo was handed a long scroll of parchment and was pushed out into the hallway.

"It's just the usual summery, out of pocket expenses, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."

"Funeral arrangements?" Looking a bit queasy, Bilbo began to read the contract.

"I cannot guarantee their safety." Thorin muttered to Gandalf.

"But you won't need to. I can defend myself." Ann stood up and stood next to Thorin, whose height seem to have no effect on Ann.

"I see no weapons upon you." Thorin crossed his arms and looked down on her.

"I only need my razor sharp wit." Anna lifted her chin. "The rest I can acquire on the way."

"You have gold?" Thorin was starting to smirk.

"I have more valuable things." Anna nodded.

"An example if you would?"

"Knowledge." Ann tapped her forehead.

"Prove it." Thorin grinned at her. Ann however, didn't cower under his gaze.

"Jane get the things." Ann grinned.

Jane's chair scraped back agonizingly slowly. "On it."

Jane went to the kitchen and carried two bowls back out. One was full of white salt like grains, and a whitish liquid.

"We will now make an explosion." Ann took the liquid, and haphazardly dumped it into the grains.

It immediately began to froth and foam, white bubbles bursting out and spilling onto the table.

"But wait we can do the other thing with the-"

"No I think we're good." Fili looked at them with brows raised.

"It's science, not magic. Like how water when exposed to heat bubbles, vinegar and baking soda do the same thing."

"Oh. Alright." Thorin nodded.

"You don't know what we're talking about do you?" Jane chuckled at

Thorin.

"Laceration, evisceration, incineration?" Bilbo said disbelievingly.

"Aye, Smaug will melt the flesh right off yeh." Bofur said nonchalantly.

"Huh." Bilbo was a little pale and breathless.

"You all right laddie?" Balin asked.

"Think giant furnace, with wings." Bofur shrugged.

"Air, I, I need air."

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof, you're a pile of ash."

"Hmmmm, nope." Bilbo fell onto the floor.

"I don't believe it." Ann laughed. "He fainted."

"He's a fine fellow.: Gandalf said. "Gets queer funny fits, but is as fierce as a dragon in a pinch."

"Where will we depart from?" Jane asked. "And when?"

"Tomorrow, eleven at the green dragon inn." Thorin looked to where Kili and Oin where picking up Bilbo and carrying the Hobbit to his drawing room. "If our burglar is punctual."

"Ten gold says he won't show up." Fili sighed.

"Twenty gold says he will." Ann challenged.

"Aye." Balin nodded "I will take that bet."

"As will I." Fili nodded.

"Five gold says he won't even wake up until morn." Dwalin chuckled darkly.

"Double or nothing." Jane smirked.

"Taken." Dwalin nodded and turned to Thorin.

"I do believe that Bilbo has just woken up." Jane grinned.

"How would you know?" Kili asked sardonically. "You haven't been in there at all."

"Check." Ann grinned.

Kili hurried to check the room and came back with a pale face. "How'd you do that?"

"Pay up." Three sacks of coins were thrown across the room at An and Jane.

"I do believe that you just swindled my men." Thorin watched them from across the table.

"How so?" Ann shrugged. "Dwalin's the one that put it on the table."

Thorin narrowed his eyes and took a sip of his ale.

"Well, I'm going to see what's going on with Bilbo. Care to come with me Fili?" Ann stood up and paused in the doorway.

Fili stood and followed her out into the hallway.

"Listen."

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long." Gandalf's gruff voice was muffled through the door. "Tell me; when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you? I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies. A young Hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there."

"I can't just go running off into the blue on some adventure," Bilbo however sounded unsure. "I am a Baggins of Bag End."

"You are also a Took. Did you know that your great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?" Gandalf just sounded amused.

"Yes." Ann could just imagine Bilbo crossing his arms and sulking like a child.

"Well he could." Gandalf was using his 'I'm wise so I'm better than you voice. "In the Battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time."

"I do believe that you just made that up." Bilbo chuckled.

"You'll have a tale or two to tell of your own to tell when you come back."

"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilbo's voice was soft.

"No, and when you do, you won't be the same." Gandalf sounded helpless.

"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf I can't take that risk and sign this. You've got the wrong Hobbit."

"It appears we have lost our Hobbit." Balin said. Ann and Fili turned around, startled to see that the rest of the company had joined them.

"I would wait till tomorrow to say that." Jane nodded.

"Probably for the best, the odds were always against us." The group filtered away, some to get more ale, others to get their stuff.

"What are we? Miners, tinkers-"

"Come on. Balin and Uncle need to talk." Fili tugged the confused Ann away from the two, and they walked into the entrance way.

"What are we doing here?" Ann said looking confused.

"Giving you this." Fili handed Ann a small dagger about twice the size of her hand.

"What? Why?"

"If my companions find you bladeless they will think you weak." Fili curled Ann's hand around the hilt.

"No wrong why, why as in, why do you care so much?" Ann looked into his eyes, as if the meaning would be hidden there.

And it wasn't, as always. All Ann saw was green speckled with grey.

"Simply following my heart." Fili turned and gave one last grin back at her before going back into the kitchen, where they were now talking about the route they would take.

Ann imitated her brain exploding with vivid hand gestures. "Thanks for being so clear and reliable everyone, you know how I love those cryptic answers."

Ann stood there a moment and thought about how they were going to get the clothes and such for their journey, obviously the cargo shorts and tee's weren't going to cut it.

Jane popped in the threshold. "Ann we need you in here, there isn't anyone arguing with Thorin."

Ann shook her head, and followed Jane through the hall and into the living room, where the dwarves (Fili and Kili) had cleared away the tables and now there was only a few seats left, six to be precise, seven if you fit two on the loveseat.

Thorin was standing, leaning on the mantle. Fili and Kili were both leaning against the wall. Jane made a beeline for them, and stood next to Kili, while Ann held back a bit. Both Fili and Kili were smoking, and both had (compared to everyone but Thorin at least) exceedingly ornate pipes, Fili's a little more ornate, with bronze thingamajigs, and a word spelled in dwarvish engraved along the top.

Ann strode over to them and leaned against Fili. They stayed there for a moment. Then Thorin started to hum. Soon everyone was humming the same toon, even Fili.

Then came the singing.

Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To find our long-forgotten gold

Usually Ann would be pretty creeped out if a bunch of men started singing, but as these are dwarves, and she could feel the vibrations through Fili's chainmail, she was actually quite entranced.

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night

The fire was red, it flaming spread

The trees like torches blazed with light

Then they stopped singing, and Ann was broken out of her trance, though she didn't stop leaning against Fili.

"D'you really think he's going to give up on an adventure?" Fili puffed out a ring that went under the leg of a chair. "I can't imagine not going."

"It's the opportunity of a lifetime." Ann nodded. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Kili and I almost did." Ann leaned away from him to look up at his face.

"What do you mean?"

"We had quite a time convincing everyone to let us go. Me being the heir and all, and us being so young, our mother almost forbid us to go."

"Aye that's right laddie." Bofur grinned. "You younglings barely know how to swing a sword."

"Care to test that?" Fili raised an eyebrow quizzically, smirking slightly.

"How young are you?" Ann grinned, knowing that she had just defused a bomb. .

"Eighty two and a quarter."Fili looked at her quizzically. "And how old are you and Jane?"

"How old do you think we are?" Jane crossed her arms. "You have to guess."

"And we're not going to make this easy, you have to be within three numbers." Ann grinned.

"Without going over." Jane was doing her 'not quite smile.'

"Seventy four." Kili nodded.

"Eighty." Bofur shook his head.

"No, humans age faster she's sixty." Fili looked as if he had just won the lottery.

"Aye, but she's in her fifties." Balin contributed.

"Seventies." Dwalin grunted. "She's tricking all of you."

There were numerous more shouts of numbers, but none of them came within a decade of their age.

"Would you care to bet on it?" Jane grinned.

"Yes, my final answer is fifty nine." Kili nodded.

"No, sixty eight." Fili smirked.

"All of you were wrong" Ann informed them. "The closest guess was twenty years off."

"So you're a hundred?" Bofur gasped, he had guessed eighty.

"No, we're twenty four." Jane grinned.

There was moaning and claims of 'not fair!' and 'how were we supposed to know?' But what surprised Ann the most is that multiple coin sacks were tossed around, and while Jane and Ann got the majority of them, Balin was tossed some, and the only person who didn't get anything was Bofur.

After the chatter had died down, and the ale was gone. (There were many groans and exclamations that were uttered, well, rather loudly as this was said) The dwarves started to gather their stuff and walk into random rooms.

"Hey look, this one's got a bath!" Gloin (or maybe it was Oin) shouted, and Bilbo came rushing.

"That's my room, thank you, and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't touch anything!"

Ann didn't want to be rude, and just claim a room like everyone else was, but she also didn't want to be stuck with the horrible room.

"Jane what should we do?" Ann whispered, watching as all the dwarves rushed around her with their arms full of three things- weapons, clothes, or provisions.

"We go walk around, the best rooms are on the left." Jane whispered.

"You know how?" Ann rolled her eyes and reluctantly followed as Jane started strolling around.

"That's where the windows are." Jane grinned, clearly pleased that she had figured out this tidbit.

"Well then." Ann and Jane had come to the end of the hall.

"This is the last room huh?" Ann leaned against the doorframe while Jane stood awkwardly in the hall.

"I guess so?" Jane shadowed Ann and leaned over her shoulder.

"How fitting that these two should share it." Ann grinned.

"I call couch."

"Dang it." Ann muttered.

"Wait, you two don't have a room?" Fili was in a undershirt and trousers.

"Take this room." Kili (who was fully dressed) grabbed his stuff and made to go out of the room.

"Nope." Jane stood a little taller.

"Plus Jane and I already called couch." Ann said. Jane went and stood by Kili, both preparing to see their siblings but heads.

"No, Kili and I will take the couch and floor, you two will sleep in here."

"He tried to tell her what to do." Jane grimaced.

"Is that a bad idea?" Kili looked at her innocently.

"Yeah, now she's just going to do the opposite." Jane smiled.

"So either you two sleep in here, or no one does." Ann crossed her arms and looked up at Fili defiantly.

"Well, I'm not sleeping in that bed." Fili crossed his arms.

"I already called the couch, so good luck sleeping on the floor."

"I actually called couch." Jane intervened.

"Quiet child. I'm your elder, I get the couch." Ann didn't break Fili's gaze.

"First one there gets it." Fili was smirking.

"GO!" Ann and Fili raced out the door, shoving Jane and Kili out of the way.

They raced through the hall, and Fili was ahead.

"Bofur, come out into the hall!" Ann shouted.

Bofur strode into the hallway, and Fili had to stop to avoid running into him.

"What the-" Bofur sputtered

"Can't talk." Fili sprinted after Ann.

Ann and Fili went through the doorway into Bilbo's livingroom. The couch was right there, behind the coffee table with a stack of covers on it.

Ann leaped over the coffee table, clearing the covers, while Fili dove for it and knocked them all onto the floor.

They both hit the couch at the same time, and flipped it over onto it's back.

"I touched it first." They chorused.

"No I did." Ann frowned at Fili.

"I think not." Fili frowned back.

"Balin, who touched it first?" Ann turned to the white haired dwarf that was chuckling into his pipe.

"Lass, it was a close one, but, t'was a draw." Balin chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" Fili crossed his arms. Both Ann and Fili were looking betrayed.

"You two remind me of a time when I was younger and full of love." Balin chuckled and strode out of the room.

"I think what he meant was you two bumbling fools knocked over my couch!" Bilbo walked in, gripping his hair and pulling it.

Ann and Fili both smiled sheepishly and stood up, and soon had the couch righted.

"Sorry Mr. Boggins." Fili muttered.

"Well, atleast it isn't broken." Ann shrugged.

"But it might have been!" Bilbo huffed. "I can't wait until morning." he muttered under his breath.

And with that, Ann shoved Fili off the couch, where he fell into an unceremonious heap.

Jane came through the door, and promptly without a word pushed Ann onto the floor, and Fili.

"Hah, now you have to sleep on the bed." Fili said triumphantly.

"Or sleep on the floor." Ann rolled off of Fili and took a cover off the top of a stack that was strewn all over the floor. She tossed it onto the floor, then grabbed another one, and laid down, draping it over herself.

Jane sighed as Fili too picked up a cover and laid on the ground.

Kili walked in and grinned. "I'll give you the bed, and I can sleep on the couch." He suggested looking at Jane.

"Alright then." Jane smiled stood up and grabbed a cover, and proceed to the end of the hall.

"Really?" Ann sat up. "You traitor!"

"Well, you can't really blame her can you" Kili shrugged putting covers on the couch.

"Yeah I can." Ann layed back down. "That backstabber can face my wrath tomorrow!" Ann shouted. "After breakfast!"

Fili chuckled, and with that they fell into silence, and eventually, sleep.


	3. The Trollin Company of Thorin

Ann woke up to almost darkness, the kind that you can see shapes, but you can't quite make everything out. Fili and Kili were still sleeping, snoring loud as possible. Kili was half off the couch, totally defying gravity. Fili was laying on his back, arms and legs spread to look like a star, covers strewn all over the floor.

Ann was half under the coffee table, which she didn't realize until she sat up, and of course smashed her head against the table. She proceeded to immediately lay back down.

"Mother of an unborn orc." She clutched her head, narrowing her eyes. "Stupid thing, who put you there anyway?"

Ann rolled out from underneath it, and stood up, legs wobbly. She almost stepped on Fili, who she now realized she had been sleeping less than a foot from. "Fili actually looks like less of a sexist prick when he's asleep." Ann thought, and she bent over and pulled some of his covers over him.

She stumbled into the kitchen, suppressing a yawn, and squinted at the clock. It read five o'clock, approximately, Ann wasn't that great at reading time from clocks. The hour hand always got confused with the numbers. "Welp no use going to bed now." Ann muttered running a hand through her hair.

Ann creeped into the bathroom and looked into the tub. There was no shower head. Sighing Ann opened the cupboards and started looking for the towles.

There was no towels, not even a washrag. But there was a sewing kit.

Ann stuck her head out into the hall. There was dead silence. She held the needle out and let it fall. It sounded like a little tiny bell. Ann picked up the pin, and put it back in the sewing kit.

Ann tiptoed down the hallway, looking for the closet. There was one at the end of the hall. Though Ann wasn't sure about what was going to be in it. Ann paled, what if that was were he stored his clothes? No wait. Ann shook her head. There were dressers in Bilbo's room.

It turned out there was towels in it, and washrags. Ann reached for a green ones with little potatoes embroidered onto the end, when she saw a spider in the embroidery, sitting on the edge of the spud.

Ann's eyes widened and she slowly pulled her white knuckled fist out of the closet. quickly shutting the door, she raced to the other end of the hall. She slid down the wall, she sat for a moment, contemplating how mad Bilbo would be if she set his closet on fire.

Deciding against it, she stood up, or tried to.

Ann pushed herself off of the ground, and with a thud hit her head against the door knob.

With a thud she sat back down clutching her head, tears pooling at the edges of her eyes. When the pain settled to a dull thudding in the back of her head, she stood up, and grasped the doorknob.

Twisting the knob, she pulled on it. The door creaked open and revealed an musty smelling closet with towels.

"Score, don't have to go near the infested closet again." Ann grinned, and grabbed a couple of towels and proceeded to take a bath.

When she was out, dressed, and dry there was still no one up. "Why aren't they up?" Ann muttered. "What happened to an early start?"

Ann went to the fridge (or icebox thing?) and picked out some eggs, and bacon, that had a note on it that read something in all caps, ignoring it, (as she usually did rules) Ann started up the stove, set a pan on it, and started cooking it. Eventually Ann made some french toast, and porridge. She was on her second helping of eggs when Jane walked in, in all her bedhead glory.

"Don't eat everything chrissake." Jane hissed, eyes narrowed. "I'm hungry, and you can be sure that everyone else is too." Jane threw herself into the chair across from Ann and glared at her. Her expression was priceless.

"Ok, take these." Ann grinned. "I'll make you some stuff." She pushed the almost full plate of eggs, across the table, and walked to the stove.

"What're you doing up anyway?" Jane grumbled, her voice sounding a little less groggy. "It's five in the morning."

"Huh." Ann stared at the clock again. "I thought it was five an hour ago."

Jane snorted into her plate of food. "Wow so that's why you're dressed and showered."

Ann laughed. "It was like finding a needle in a haystack getting towels."

Ann brought porridge, and what was left of her, or er, Bombur's pound of bacon over to Jane.

Thorin walked in. He looked as if he had spent a while getting ready.

"Goodmorning." Ann watched as he seated himself next to Jane.

Thorin nodded at them.

There was a few moments of awkward silence. "Would you like anything?" Ann asked politely.

"Yes." Thorin looked as if he had been waiting for this. "Nine eggs, fried not poached. Mind you don't break them." He folded his hands and looked at Ann expectantly.

"Well, the eggs are in there, and the stove is right here." Ann said icily.

"Is anyone up yet?" Jane asked after she was done eating, and Thorin was at the stove.

"Nope, but Kili finally fell off the couch about ten minutes ago." Ann rolled her shoulders and tilted her neck.

"Finally wishing you would've slept in the bed?" Jane teased.

"Never." Ann raised her chin. "And I'm not talking to a traitor."

Jane snorted. "Well you just made one breakfast." She teased.

There was about a minute of silence before Ann stood up.

"Fine, I will continue to interact with you due to your incessant begging, but you have to go to town with me to get supplies."

Jane chuckled and shook her head. "Alright just give me a sec to get ready."

Ann looked over at Thorin. "We'll back in a bit."

Ann and Jane strolled back up the path to Bilbo's a half an hour later, laden with cloaks (Black for Jane, and bright blue for Ann) boots, nice leather ones that they had got half priced. A book that Jane bought, a bow a quiver full of arrows and a knife that Ann insisted she needed, and other necessities that Jane was sure that the dwarves would forget, such as chocolate (that was Ann) and some soap.

"That was productive." Ann said practically skipping along.

"And money draining, remind me how I was tricked into buying you three pounds of chocolate?" Jane rolled her eyes.

"Hah, it's cuz you're such a lovely sister." Ann smirked. "You were the one who bought a book 'for your younger brother.'" Ann snorted as Jane turned bright red.

"I need to learn how to read and write this language." Jane clutched her book to her chest.

"French took you a week of obsessive studying, and now you're fluent. You shouldn't even need that."

"Well so?"

"You could've just borrowed some books from Ori, did you see his pack? Overflowing with books." Ann smirked.

"Fine I'll do that too." Jane's eyes misted over as she reopened and continued to read her book.

They arrived to a chaos ridden house. Everything was being put back in order (or what the dwarves thought was order) and Balin was leaving a folded up contract on the mantle.

Ann sighed, and put it on his table top. "He won't dust his mantle as soon as he wakes up." She reasoned. "He's more likely to go and have a nice long smoke in his garden."

Balin sighed and nodded. "Too right, I'm afraid lass, but you two'll have to sign these to accompany us." He pulled out two lengthy pieces of paper.

"Did you spend all night writing these?" Ann looked at him in amazement.

"Aye, so watch for me asleep on my horse." Balin nodded and strode away.

"Jane I can't even read this." Ann turned to Jane, and held out her paper which was filled with dwarvish. But Jane was already poring over hers.

"I can, it's elementary m'dear Watson. Just like German."

Ann groaned. "Why can't anything be like Spanish?"

"The only bad thing is that we have to provide our own money…" Jane looked up nervously.

"Which we spent almost all of this morning." Ann nodded grimly. "How much've we got left?"

"About fifty gold each." Jane bit her lip.

"In the movie," Ann spoke in a low almost inaudible whisper. "they bet on Bilbo right? We'll use that."

"Oh, alright." Jane nodded looking a little more resolute.

"We go all out." Ann nodded "Glad that's settled then."

Ann strode into the kitchen to find Bombur glaring at Fili and Kili who were sitting at the table eating porridge nonchalantly.

"What's happened?" Ann sat down next to Fili.

"Bombur thinks we ate his bacon." Fili looked up, trying, and almost succeeding in sounding uncaring.

"Which we didn't, it was you two, because you were the first ones up." Kili glared at her.

"But two human girls combined couldn't eat all that!" Bombur rumbled, arms folded.

"It wasn't us though, it probably got eaten last night." Fili ground his teeth together.

"Why couldn't me and Jane eat of all of it?" Ann sat back and looked at the three stunned dwarves.

"So you and Jane ate it." Kili sounded disbelieving.

"Wrong, I ate it, along with four eggs, toast, and some muffins." Ann stood up. "And now I'm hungry again.

She strode over to the fridge and continued to make herself a second (quite large) breakfast. Fili was the only one who had managed to stay looking unimpressed as she scarfed it down, and strode from the room.

"I've eaten more." He scoffed.

"What do you mean?" Thorin growled.

Here they were halfway out of the shire, and Bilbo wasn't with them yet.

"We don't have our burglar." Dwalin said.

"Yet!" Ann shouted standing up on her pony.

"Ten gold says otherwise." Dwalin told her gruffly.

"Twenty says he'll come before we're out of this bit of woodland." Ann said imperiously.

"Thirty." Balin grinned at Ann. "Raise yours or no?"

"Fifty for the both the both of us." Jane nodded "Bilbo's going to come."

The dwarves and Ann started shouting bets at each other and soon, the last bit of woods were coming to an end.

"Hope you have enough gold." Fili said falling in line with her pony. "You made some pretty serious bets."

"I realize that." Ann grinned. "I don't know why you bet for him though, why did you?"

"You put all your money in." Fili looked away. "I didn't want you to be a loner."

"Or, you know that I'm amazing at betting, and you couldn't help but choose the winning side." Ann grinned and looked at her imaginary watch. "He'll come in five, four, three, two, one."

There was a moment of very awkward silence, then-

"Wait! Wait!"

Ann grinned and pulled her reigns in, and stopped, turning in her saddle to see Bilbo running towards them, his contract flapping in his hand.

"I've, I've signed it." Bilbo said, handing it to Balin.

"Everything seems to be in order." Balin barely glanced at the piece of paper before folding it and tucking it into his cloak. "Welcome, Mr. Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin looked unimpressed. "Give him a pony."

"What? No, no that's quite alright, I'm sure I'll be able to keep up on foot." Bilbo protested, but Oin and Nori lifted him onto a pony, and soon they were moving again.

"Ori, Oin, pay up!" Dori shouted good naturedly.

Soon the little pouches of gold were flying through the air, most were toward Ann, and Jane, though no one voiced any objections.

Ann watched as over the next ten seconds Thorin fell behind half the company to be aside her.

"I do believe that you just swindled my men." Thorin looked at Ann through slitted eyes.

"Ah, but it was all Jane's fault." Ann shrugged.

"Not so." Thorin's face was passive.

"Welp, then it was actually Dwalin, because he doubted Bilbo, which led me to believe that he needed a little less gold." Ann nodded.

Thorin sighed.

"You'll get used to the mindless blabbering soon." Jane said understandingly. "I know it's a little much at first."

"Hey, what? Mindless?" Ann objected.

"Yep." Fili patted her on the back. "The blabbering bit is true too."

"Thanks guys."

And with that, the adventure was underway.

The people of the world actually were sorta nice, for instance, the first few nights they stayed at inn's. Then after they got out of the shire, that's when things turned to really bad shit.

There was rain, and lots of it. Ann's cloak was soaked and Ann seriously doubted she would be dry anytime soon.

Then there was the fact that Ann's pony hated her. Ann had named it Fuath. She had already bucked her off twice, and Ann was getting real tired of getting caked mud from underneath her nails.

They were traveling along a beaten muddy path, that was right next to the river, so of course the river chose this day to start overflowing.

It was abrupt, Ann had to give it that. No one, really could looking back remember what caused it, although all tried. Fili claimed it was her looks. Jane claims it was a small animal running across the path. Ann however thought it was a fish from the lake, and that the horse was hungry. (But that might've been her.)

Fuath bolted to the side, into the river, taking Ann with her.

Needless to say Ann fell off Fuath immediately. Ann was smart enough to unlatch the saddle, and clutch onto the supplies, but, it was cold, and Ann was sorry to say that she froze up. It was too much like the dark oblivion that had overwhelmed her last time she had 'been swimming, also she hated being wet. A panic seized her lungs and Ann felt like she was going to cry soon.

Ann felt herself being pushed along by the currents, felt the things pulling her in, felt herself getting colder and colder. But it was more like a seventh sense, like when you know someone's watching you, that drained her of her energy. She was

She saw another splash, and a cascade of bubbles through darkening vision.

Someone was grabbing her arms, pulling her to the surface.

Ann broke the surface and immediately took huge breaths, the sudden oxygen searing her lungs.

Ann threw the saddle bag and her pack onto shore, she couldn't pull herself up though. Panic surged through her almost making her fall back in. But next thing she knew, Fili was there on the shore, offering his hand. Ann gripped it and Fili tugged. A bit too hard as Ann was pulled up stumbling.

"Thanks." Ann coughed, standing up. She grabbed her pack, and Fili grabbed the saddle bag, attaching it to his.

"You really are bad at swimming aren't you?" Thorin's reprimanding tone found Ann off guard.

"What the hell do you want me to say?" Water was dripping into Ann's eyes. "I suck at dealing with animals. My pony bolted into the river and got itself drowned. I got the luggage. So. You're. Welcome."

Thorin's eyebrows rose higher and higher through her tirade.

"What do you want me to do?" Ann took a step closer to Thorin (who hadn't might she add even gotten off of his horse.) "Not get the supplies? Well, might I add that you aren't the one half drowned." Ann stood and glared at Thorin. Thorin sighed and turned away.

"Get her a pony."

"You almost drowned yourself for supplies?" Fili hissed into Ann's ear, grabbing her right arm and leading her forcefully toward one of the supply horses.

"What was I supposed to do?" Ann tried to stop, but Fili's grip only tightened.

"You should've let go of our horse and saved yourself, everyone would've understood." Fili whisper-yelled at her, his grip tightening once again.

"Hey, Fili, let go-" Ann struggled, her arm was beginning to hurt.

"No, you need to find some common sense, because you obviously don't have any-"

"Fili let go, you're hurting me." Ann ripped her arm away, and clutched it, at this point it was throbbing, and Ann didn't handle pain that well.

Fili's face whitened. He let go, and his hand twitched as if he wanted to grab his own arm. Looked horrified at her he tried to apologize. "Ann I-"

"You've said enough." Ann wasn't looking at him, but walking to her new horse, she tried to hop in the saddle, but her arm throbbed painfully as soon as she tried to grip the reins.

"Alright, I'll just use my left hand then." Ann muttered through gritted teeth.

"Fili get back on your horse we have to keep going." Thorin shouted, and soon they were off again, with Fili sending nervous glances back at Ann every minute or so, and Ann at the back of the line.

Ann's eyes slitted as Jane talked to Fili for a couple of minutes before dropping back to talk to her.

"Hey are you alright?" Jane dropped back.

"I lost my knife."

"No, actually Fili has it." Jane looked at her with a dazed expression. "He wants to know why you bought a second one."

"Well that's because-"

"Where did you get this first dagger?" Jane looked at her confusedly. "Where have you kept it?"

"It's Fili's, he gave it to me." Ann glared at Fili's back. How dare he? Ann thought. How dare he play the I gave you something, now you have to give something (like forgiveness) in return.

"Well then isn't it yours now?" Jane said. "But I'm confused does he have the one you bought or the one he gave to you?"

"The one I bought."

"It looks sharper than I remember."

"Things can't look sharp Jane." Ann sighed.

"Well it does."

Ann stayed in the back of the company, and well into the next week. She was irritable whenever someone approached her during meal times (partly because she wasn't fully dry yet, as the unrelentless rain hadn't stopped.) But more so because Fili hadn't apologized to her yet. He knew he was in the wrong (he kept glancing at her as if she was china and constantly made moves to help her, which went against her feminine pride)

"Horrible weather, isn't it lass." Balin walked up to Ann, who was gathering sticks and the like to put in the fire.

"I hate the rain." Ann muttered "Always have always will."

"Why?" Balin bent down to grab from her a particularly large branch. "Is it because it's a reflection of your moods? Or because you hate being wet?" They walked for a bit, both gathering particularly large piles.

"I hate being wet." Ann grudgingly relented.

"What about your sulking hm?" Balin stopped. "Is it because you are wet, or is your pride hurt at being bucked into a stream?"

"Excuse me?" Ann stopped, she was taken aback at his straight forwardness.

"For what? Your behavior?" Balin's face was straight, though Ann rather thought he was enjoying himself.

"No, I haven't been sulking anyway."

"Oh yes you have lass. You've been doing almost as much brooding as Thorin."

"I do not brood." Ann opened her mouth to continue, but Balin just sighed.

"You're even more bullheaded than Jane told me." He muttered. "But that's a good thing, if you're going to be traveling with us, I don't know how to put this any simpler, but we are worried," Balin paused choosing his next words carefully "Fili especially."

"Fili yelled at me for almost drowning." Ann deadpanned. "I don't know why he's angry with me."

"He's not." Balin said gently "He's worried that you're angry with him."

And so he left her, wide mouthed in the clearing, holding a pile a sticks.

Ann stormed back to camp, they had stopped in a sort of mountainy cave ish thing. They were resting in an alcove. Ann was on the ledge below them, so she was visible to no one, but she could still hear them.

"So, you talked with Ann?" Fili was next to Balin.

"Yes, quite the fiery headed one you have there." Balin chuckled. "She reminds me of Frerin."

"Yes well, do I still have her ire?" Ann could just imagine Fili frowning impatiently.

"The whole world has her ire." Balin said vaguely. "As it is with all people with her temperament."

"What do you mean?"

"What I say."

"Balin you're not helping." Ann heard an angry huff.

"Neither am I hurting."

Ann almost smiled at Balin's evasiveness, she turned to walk up the path, and found a bunch of dry pine branches, needles and all. Ann grinned picked them up, and strode confidently to the camp. Everyone needs a little scare once and awhile. Including Fili, but he needed it more than most. To keep his ego from crushing him of course.

Ann wove through the dwarves (who had eaten dinner without her, jerks) and paused a moment only to through the wood strategically into the fire, so in a moment it would have the desired effect.

Ann sat down next to Fili, who looked cool and nonchalant. She gazed at the fire, and glanced at Fili every once and awhile, he would have to hurry if she was going to be able to-

"Sorry about that." Fili said at last.

"I don't know what to say." Ann shrugged. "Other than I can now do this." She pointed a finger at the fire. For a moment embarrassment flooded her cheeks, but the pine needles caught fire, making the flame jump higher and burn brighter for a moment before settling back down.

Fili gazed horror struck at the fire, most of the other dwarves were looking at her with emotions ranging from disbelief to confusion, all of them demanding an answer. Ann burst out into laughter.

"What is so funny?" Fili turned to her gasping in disbelief. "What if you lost control?"

"I put pine branches-" Ann gasped between laughter. "In the fire!"

Kili chuckled, and Jane who was sitting next to him rolled her eyes.

"I've no idea why you're laughing right now." Jane said frankly.

"Your faces!" Ann leaned and Fili, who was also now chuckling a little.

"Alright, I'll give you that one." Fili nodded, smirking. "But this doesn't seem fair, I've gotten scared twice, and you've not."

"Oh bite me, it takes more than one of those old pranks to scare me." Ann sat up and raised her eyebrows at him.

"Wait, how did she scare you the first time?" Bilbo called out from where the ponies were kept. "When?"

"Oh when I fell into the river, and he jumped in after me." Ann shrugged.

"Which I might add I've done twice now."

"I've really gotta stop falling into rivers don't I?" Ann accepted a bowl of stew from a chuckling Bombur, and leaned against Fili, putting her feet up on the makeshift bench.

A scream tore through the air, filled with terror. Ann felt her shoulders tense automatically. Shit… She thought, for she knew exactly what was coming.

"What was that?" Bilbo came back from the pony enclosure.

"Orcs." Ann could FEEL Fili smirk from behind her.

Another scream ripped through the air, and this time, there was a more feminine tone to it, and Ann immediately felt sympathy for whoever it was. Thorin jerked awake, as did many members of the company. What Thorin did, though most of the company didn't. The people who weren't on guard duty, as in Fili, Kili, Balin, Ann, and Jane, just rolled over again. Thorin however fastened his sword belt on, and walked to the edge of their camp site. As if standing watch over their camp and glaring at the orcs would enable him to kill them all.

"O-orcs?" Bilbo's voice was shaky, and Ann felt a twinge of annoyance at what she knew was coming.

"Throat cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them." Ann knew Fili was pleased with himself for making them sound so scary.

Kili grinned and put a hand to his chin. "They strike in the small wee hours of the night." Ann saw Thorin turn slightly, his eyes narrowed. 'Stop Kili!' She thought shouted 'Shit's about to go down. No!'

"Quick, and quiet; no screams, just lots of blood." Fili finished.

Fili and Kili being chuckling to themselves and Ann closed her eyes and almost groaned at the ire that was being provoked.

"Think that's funny?" Thorin practically growled. "Think a night raid by orcs is a joke, do you?"

"No, it's not funny." Kili backtracked quickly, which is more than Fili got credit for, as he was to one who had started all this.

Thorin glared at Kili for a moment then turned to watch the darkness outside their camp.

"Don't mind him, laddie." Balin watched as Thorin walked back over to his spot watching the valley. "Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first."

Bilbo joined their circle, which made six people around the campfire, not including Thorin.

All of them listened avidly while Balin recounted what had happened to the pale orc.

"But what happened to the Azog?" Bilbo asked curiously.

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came." Thorin turned and went back to his bed mat, where he lay down without a word.

"Well I have a story." Ann leaned forward. "Can't promise it'll be as good, but I think it's pretty scary.

Ann cleared her throat once, and spoke in what she considered to be a mild storytelling voice. "There once was a man who looked for a wife. He searched all the lands for her, and it wasn't until he was an old white haired man that he found her, she was just as old as him. However not a white hair grew in her head.

When they met, she was cloaked from neck to toe. Not one inch of skin was shown to him, for the wife had a secret, a golden arm." They were very good listeners, but Ann had no idea what Kili was doing. "The wife didn't tell the man until right before the marriage but first she swore him to secrecy and made him swear she would be buried with her golden arm, and when she did tell him, he only reassured her that it was a symbol of her beauty and spirit.

It was on their second anniversary when she died." There was some sort of strangled gasp, Ann looked over to Kili clutching his stomach and mouthing something, and Jane giving him a very pointed stare.

"The man arranged her funeral and vowed to never take another wife, and that no one should have her golden arm but her. He spent twelve days mourning. Unfortunately, only a month or two later, the man became very poor, he was so cold at night, so hungry. He wanted only a little gold to buy himself a blanket, and perhaps a loaf of bread. He wrestled with his vow to his wife and his stomach for many days. Eventually his vow lost. He planned to go to her grave during the dead of night, and dig up her golden arm, and use it to buy himself a better life."

"He can't." Fili interrupted. "He vowed he wouldn't!"

"Oh shut up, you're ruining the effect." Ann glared playfully at him then continued on. "When midnight came, he took his shovel and walked to the graveyard, where he spent two gruelling hours digging up her arm.

When he was done, he grabbed the arm, which was as cold as ice, he shivered. But not from the cold. He put it in his jacket, so he reburied the casket, and then when he was done, he apologized and walked off towards home. Walking out of the graveyard. he thought he heard a whisper, carried by the wind. "Where's my golden arm?" It said to him. The man, worried about his broken honor and vows, walked a bit faster. He was at the end of his driveway now, and the voice spoke again this time closer. "Where's my golden arm?" The man wasn't sure but it sounded vaguely feminine, like his wife. He broke into a sprint and ran into his house, where he locked his door, ran into the hallway, to his bed, where he pulled the covers over his head and cowered, the arm still uncomfortably cold against his body. He heard the locked door click, then open. "Where's my golden arm?" The voice was clear as day now ,and he could hear footsteps creeping down the hall. "Where's my golden arm?" The voice was like a shout outside his bedroom door. The door opened, and he heard one, two, three, footsteps, and then-" Ann paused for a moment and made a moments eye contact with Jane, then-

"YOU GOT IT!" They screeched, Ann grabbed Fili's arm and Jane grabbed Kili's. The two descendants of Durin both sprung off of the bench and leaped backwards, swords drawn.

Balin laughed. "I've not heard a campfire tale so good since I was a young dwarf and Dwalin was the teller." Balin chuckled.

They went to sleep, after waking a tired Dori and Nori.

For one day, there was a bright sunny day, and then the deluge started. If Jane and Ann thought that the Michigan weather gods had mood swings, boy were they in for some fatal weather.

All it does is storm, storm, storm, no matter what. Ann thought moodily.

"What day is today?" Ann grumbled.

"I believe May the twenty first." Ori shouted over the rain.

"So I've been gone for about a month." Ann muttered. "That's great, Mom's worried out of her mind."

"What?" Fili shouted as the rain pummeled him.

"Well it's raining really hard, and I'm all wet!" Ann shouted back.

"Hey, Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?" Dori shouted from in front of Ann.

"No!" Gandalf spoke harshly. "It is raining master dwarf, and it will continue to do so until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world, you should find yourself another wizard."

There was silence, in which they went into a patch of forest, and the rain got considerably lighter.

"Are there any?" Bilbo asked.

"What?" Gandalf looked at the small hobbit, water dripping from the brim of his hat.

"Other wizards?" Bilbo nodded.

"That I know of, five, there is saruman, the greatest of our order. Then there are two blue wizards twins usually, who are yet to be reincarnated." Gandalf looked into the distance for a moment, looking quite lost in his thoughts.

"And the fifth?" Jane spoke up.

"That would be Radagast the brown."

"Is he a great wizard, or is he more like you?" Bilbo looked at Gandalf expectantly.

Gandalf, looking slightly offended stiffly turned in his saddle to look at Bilbo. "I think he's a great wizard, in his own way, he is a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a careful eye over the vast forest lands to the east, and quite a good thing too, for evil will always look to get a foothold in this world."

The rain continued on for thirteen days. On the thirteenth day, when the sun was directly overhead, the rain stopped, as if the spigot was turned off, and the clouds blew out of the sky as if propelled by a huge fan.

Ann was 90% sure that her and Jane were the only people who noticed this.

They came to the top of the hill, where there lay a ruin of an old house.

"Halt!" Thorin shouted dismounting his horse. "We will camp here for the night." The whole company sighed in relief and dismounted. "Fili, Kili look after the horses. Make sure you stay with them, we needn't lose any more supplies."

Fili and Kili huffed. But reluctantly started grabbing horses and tying them up.

"Oin, Gloin?" Thorin was surveying the land from which they had come.

"Aye?" They chorused.

"Get a fire going."

"Right." Gloin nodded.

"I think it would be wiser to move on." Gandalf looked into the forest. "We could make for the hidden valley."

Thorin turned around and narrowed his eyes. "I have told you already that I will not go near that place."

"Well there's no harm in putting a little less distance between us and the lonely mountain, is there?" Jane walked over to Thorin. "The farther we go today, the less we have to go tomorrow."

"Why not, master dwarf?" Gandalf continued as if Jane wasn't there. "The elves could help us. We could get much needed food rest and advice." Gandalf towered over Thorin, but still he did not cower. Nor did they notice Jane, which earned them Ann's ire.

"I do not need their advice."

"Oh really?" Ann stormed over to them. "What about that map? Hm, those white rune things,can you read them?"

"What white rune things?" Thorin's words were slow and carefully chosen.

"Give me the map." Ann held out her hand impatiently.

Thorin placed the map in Ann's hand with distrust in his eyes.

"So the first rune is like a squiggle with a line through it-" Ann paused to crouch down, "I'll just draw it for you."

Ann spent all of one minute drawing six lines of runes. With the seventh line consisting of one lone rune.

"These markings aren't on the map." Thorin glared at Ann.

"Yeah they are, whitish color, right under the desolation of smaug." Ann gazed curiously at those around her. "Can't you guys see them?"

"No." Fili squinted at the map.

"Well that means you're blind." Ann stood and patted Fili on the back.

"I'm not blind."

"Oh really?" Ann lowered her voice. "Then where are the horses?"

Fili narrowed his eyes then strode off toward Kili, who he had left in charge of horses.

"These are ancient dwarvish symbols." Gandalf said wisely.

"The likes that have not been seen since Erebor was inhabited by dwarves." Thorin nodded.

"Lord Elrond can help us." Gandalf gazed at Thorin.

"Help?" Thorin spat. "A dragon attacks Erebor, what help came from the Elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls, the Elves looked on and did nothing. You ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather and betrayed my father."

Gandalf turned and strode angrily from the company.

"Gandalf, wait!" Bilbo shouted. "Where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense." Gandalf exclaimed

"But Gandalf I'm over here!" Ann shouted merrily.

"Who?" Bilbo asked, ignoring Ann.

"Myself! I've had quite enough of dwarves and Ann's for today." And with that he was gone.

Thorin sighed. "Come on Bombur, we're hungry."

"Is he coming back?" Bilbo whispered to Jane as they sat down to eat.

"I don't know." Jane looked quite unsure.

"Bilbo, help me bring these to Fili and Kili." Ann handed a bowl of stew to Bilbo, who grabbed it and followed her reluctantly.

"Ahh, found all the ponies yet?" Ann exclaimed loudly once Fili and Kili came into sight.

"SH!" Fili grabbed his bowl and put a finger over her lips.

"Good thing I brought you a burglar then." Ann grinned as Fili sighed in relief.

"Wait what's the matter?" Bilbo handed the bowl to Kili.

"Well, we're supposed to be looking out for the ponies."

"Kind of like pony shepherds." Ann added ad Bilbo nodded knowingly.

"Only, we've encountered a slight problem." Fili took a bite of his soup.

"We had eighteen." Kili's face twisted into a grimace.

"And now we have fourteen." Fili finished.

"That's not good." Bilbo hooked his thumbs in the belt loops of his trousers. "Not good at all, shouldn't we tell Thorin?"

Fili and Kili exchanged a glance.

"Uhhh no. Let's not worry him."

"As the official burglar they were hoping you would look into it, so they don't get in trouble." Ann summed it up with a grin.

"Well, uh, it was a big something that uprooted these trees." Bilbo walked to the branches and roots and followed the path of destruction until they could see that there was a campfire.

"Here, there's a light." Fili crouched behind a branch.

"It looks like a-" Ann peered into the darkness.

"Stay down." Fili hissed, and grabbed her and pulled her down behind him.

"They look dangerous." Bilbo raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, trolls are dangerous." Fili nodded.

"Trolls?" Bilbo looked scared.

A troll walked directly to the right of them, carrying a pony under each arm.

"Minty and Myrtle!" Bilbo said once he passed by. "I think he's going to eat them!" He sounded slightly light headed. "We've got to do something."

"Yeah, you should, mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're so small." Kili nodded.

"N-no-"

"They'll never see you." Fili grinned.

"No, no-"

"It's perfectly safe, we'll be right behind you!" Ann said reassuringly.

"If you get into trouble hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl." Kili gave Bilbo a push.

"Or you could scream." Ann nodded.

Then they ran off.

"Are you sure-" Bilbo said.

But Ann, Fili, and Kili were already halfway back to camp.

Ann strolled back into cm, trying to keep her face straight, but Jane's eyes zero'ed in on her and narrowed immediately,

"What the hell did you do with Bilbo Ann." Jane stood up, her voice was stone cold. "I know that look, I swear to god Ann-Marie-"

Ann put her arms behind her back and shifted from foot to foot. "Well a troll might've took a couple of ponies, so Kili might've sent Bilbo after them-"

"How many are there?" Thorin stood up, hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

"Three." Fili fidgeted nervously.

"Ann, Jane, stay here. Wait for Gandalf to return, but do not under any circumstances come after us." Thorin strode past them, and the rest of the company followed.

"Hey." Fili grabbed Ann's arm. "He doesn't mean any harm, he just doesn't want you to get hurt."  
"He's a sexist prick." Ann glared at Thorin's back.

"He means well." Fili gazed into Ann's eyes. "Please don't follow us."

Ann gazed at the retreating backs of the company. "I'm giving you one hour before you get a rescue team." Ann glanced at Fili then gave him a quick hug.

"I'll keep her here." Jane nodded at Fili. "For most of an hour."

"Thanks." And with that, Fili was sprinting after his uncle.

The hour was possibly the longest most tortuous hour of Ann's life. With fifteen minutes she started rummaging through her pack.

"Yeah, a bow might come in handy." Jane watched as Ann restrung it, then fitted an arrow into it, and shot it.

It wasn't even done quivering when they left.

When they got there, the trolls had all the dwarves tied up and in sacks.

Ann strolled in like she was the queen of their show. "Will someone tell me how thirteen hobbits and a dwarf managed to get captured by three trolls that they caught unaware?" Her voice was lacking it's usual mirth, and her eyes, now a stone grey from their usual icy blue ones were angry.

"Who're you?" The three trolls stood up.

"SHUT UP!" Ann screamed, and within a second she had an arrow flying off her bow.

Needless to say it struck one of them in the eye.

"My name is Ann Dunmall, you may have heard of me."

"No, we haven't." The one clutching his eye whispered.

"Oh that's right, that's probably because no one's met me and lived." Ann hissed.

The camp was totally and completely silent.

"I don't suppose you would untie my friends, and let us and our ponies go, would you?" Ann's facade was cold, but the barely concealed rage was as plain as day.

"No." One bared his teeth. "You're just a measly girl."

"Oh my god. Is there anyone who isn't a sexist pig here?" Ann paused a moment before shooting two arrows, one hit the taller one on the right that had spoken in the chin, the other hit the shorter, fatter one in the stomach.

"Ann?" Fili called. "Ann are you alright?"

"Not really. Mr. I got captured by a stupid slow mountain troll." Ann didn't even spare the company a glance.

"Be quiet." Jane popped up from behind them, startling a couple of grunts from the dwarves. For Ann had given the knife that she had gained from the market, to Jane.

"What are you doing?" Fili hissed. "Go help Ann, she's going to get herself killed!"

"You all need to stay here, so I can untie you, then you can all storm them at once." Jane nodded. "Because for all her big talk, all Ann is going to do is annoy them, and then yes, get herself hurt or killed, but she won't finish them." Jane started with Bombur.

"What do you mean?" Fili was wriggling now.

There was a loud roar, and all of a sudden Ann was being chased by two trolls, the third one was laying on the ground, barely evading them as they danced elaborately around the campfire. The twang of a bow was heard, and then another roar.

"Shit!" Ann felt her shoulder go numb, the tip of the trolls blade had hit her when she trying to get another shot in and now it was bleeding and she couldn't feel her arm.

"ANN!" Fili yelled now wriggling frantically. "Jane, what are you doing, untie me!"

"Can't." Jane was untying Thorin, the last besides Fili to get untied. "The weapons pile is over there, at least get one before charging into battle." And with a flick of her knife, Fili was cut loose.

Ann didn't falter to see how bad her head was, or her arm. But every time she saw an opening and looked, Jane had done what she'd asked and not untied Fili.

But Ann heard a shout, and turned to see Gandalf standing astride a huge rock.

"Wha-?" The word wasn't even out of her mouth before the troll hit her, sending her stumbling a couple of feet.

There was a terrible crack, and everyone stopped, except Ann, who fell to her knees, and hunched over.

"May dawn take you all!" Came Gandalf's voice, and the taller troll made one last lunge toward Ann, and the stone that was to the East of the fire split in half, and life saving sunlight shone through.

The troll lunged at Ann his dagger glinted in the light, then something hit her, and she was shoved to the side. That was when things went black.

There was darkness. So much of it. Ann was turning her head, and trying to move, but it seemed like she was stuck in quicksand. Her breathing quickened and she was trying violently to get out.

There was a voice. Ann didn't really hear it, it was more like a stream of feelings. "Don't worry Ann." There was assurance, along with a twinge of grief but then happiness. "I know you'll be alright." And she knew no more.


	4. The Not So Homely House

**AN~ Hey guys, as you know NaNoWriMo is starting today, and so I'm letting you guys know that he chapters will be more consistent and hopefully longer, though I have been told that these are really long anyway...**

 **No matter, I hope you guys like this, and I hope you enjoyed the extra hour of sleep~**

 **~Read, review, comment your thoughts, I would love to hear them!~**

Ann hurt. She woke up to her left arm pulsating painfully, and her head was throbbing even worse.

"We'll have to stay camped here for one more night." Someone shouted.

"If she doesn't wake up by tomorrow we leave her." Another deeper voice said.

"No, you're being ridiculous." Someone said. Ann slowly was regaining her bearings, and was now uncomfortably aware that she was laying on the ground.

Then babbling broke out, "We can't leave her-" "She helped us!"

"She did disobey an order." There were chuckles. "But they were broken with good will, and even better intentions, so we will stay another night. But no more, we leave at dawn. If we must we will lash her to her horse.

"They can't have moved in daylight, can they? The trolls, that is." Bilbo (Ann was sure he was the only one that would ask such a question) spoke out. "I mean before Gandalf killed them."

"There is a cave near by. Split up and find it."

"I'll stay here with Ann." Jane said, and Ann heard a thump next to her.

"As will I."

"Then be sure to watch the ponies." Thorin paused. "Let's go." Then there was a thunder of footsteps leaving camp.

"D'you think she's awake?" Someone prodded her in the side. It must be Fili, Ann thought, because Jane was on her other side.

"Oh, definitely." Jane said casually. "What I'm curious about is why she didn't make her presence known the moment she woke up."

Ann opened her eyes, and it a second for the world to come into focus. Fili was on her left and Jane was to her right, they were both crouching, and looking at her suspiciously.

She looked down at her leg, and cringed. "Oh, it's blood."

"Yeah I cleaned most of it off, but your pants refused to come clean." Jane sighed.

"Yup." Ann looked straight up in the air, and set her jaw. "How long was I out?"

"Oh about half a day," Fili shrugged, "give or take."

Ann looked straight at Fili and held a hand to the side of her eyes. "How's everyone? Did anyone get roasted or whatever before I came?"

"No." Fili gave hr an odd look.

Ann covered her eyes and laid back down. "That's good."

"Does our head hurt?" Fili laid a hand on her head. "Are you sick? Why are you not looking straight?"

"I'm fine." Ann sat up and shoved his hand off her forehead and looked down in embarrassment. "I just can't stand the sight of my own blood."

"Why?" Fili looked astounded. "Everyone bleeds."

"Because it's proof that she's fallible." Jane explained.

"Thanks Jane. That may or may not have been a bus that just ran me over."

Jane ignored her and continued on. "That she's imperfect and can make mistakes." Ann thumped back down onto her blue sleeping bag. "When she gets back to full strength she'll no doubt run twice as fast and push herself beyond the breaking point to make sure she doesn't make the same mistake again."

"Thanks for pouring my soul out." Ann was officially irked now.

"Ann, calm yourself."

"Why didn't you reveal yourself to the company?" Fili asked.

"Well the reason for that is I'm hungry, and the second is, I have the key for their hideout." Ann sat up, and the world spun.

"What?" Fili stood up.

"How?" Jane asked.

"Why do you think I got hit so many times? I also got a nifty knife." Ann grinned. "Fili you're going to have to carry me."

Fili sighed, and crouched down enough so Ann could grab his shoulders and cling on.

"Onward, my steed." Ann pointed to their left. "Let's go to their campsite first of all."

Fili chuckled and turned so he was facing Jane. "Well, if we are to go to their camp, we must head this way."

"Pshaw that's what I meant." Ann rolled her eyes. "And please do make sure to stay out of sight, Fili"

There they were at the campfire, there were still thirteen sacks lying on the ground, the pen that Bilbo had broken the ponies out of, and the rock trolls. One was shielding itself from the light, one was curled up on the ground, and the other, well it looked like it was in the process of killing someone who had insulted his mother.

Ann nudged Fili toward the split-in-half-rock, and then just past it, was a cave.

The cave smelled, you could tell without opening the door, ten feet away.

"That's disgusting." Jane shivered. "I'm not going in there."

"Awesome, Fili is." Ann gave Fili a key, it was the size of his head.

"Well, this is huge." Fili grumbled, trying to hold Ann up with one hand, and fit the key in with the other.

"No doubt that troll thought it was small and inconspicuous." Jane shrugged.

"Ha, that's funny." Ann laid her head in the nook on Fili's shoulder.

"GUYS WE FOUND IT!" Jane shouted. There was a couple of other shouts, and then the company was there with them.

"Thanks Jane, so much for first dibs." Ann sighed.

"What does that mean?" Fili was still struggling with the lock and key.

"That you get first pick." Ann sighed again.

"I thought you three were at the camp. Watching the ponies." Thorin was straight faced.

Ann burst out laughing. "That's funny, putting Fili in charge of the ponies."

"How did you get the key?" Thorin stared confusedly at Ann. "And why are you clinging to my nephew?"

"Okay, first of all, he's carrying me, because he's a nice guy, and second of all, I picked the key up while distracting the trolls."

"Well open it up!" Bofur shouted. "What's inside?"

"A horrible smell." Dori cried out.

"Treasure." Ann said grimly. "The trolls plundered a whole village, they ought to have some sort of treasure with them."

With a ear splitting squeal of metal on metal, the key turned, and the door swung open.

They walked inside, there was plenty of gold alright, but there were also swords, and gems, and all the like, a real treasure hord. The first of which Ann had ever seen.

Fili walked around, and stopped when he reached a pile of gold. He nudged it with his foot, and the gold fell down off, revealing an object underneath.

It was a sword, and a fairly long one too.

"Oh, it's just a toothpick." Fili bent down and picked it up. "It'll be perfect for you."

"What d'you mean by that?" Ann said indignantly. Fili shook his head nostalgically and walked towards the entrance.

"You're small." Ann felt Fili shrug. "You need something not to big, but big enough to be lethal."

"What about you? Don't you want anything?" Ann eyed a particularly large ornate broadsword that was sitting on a pile of wood.

"No, I already have almost too much to carry." Ann heard the pride in his voice.

"Those daggers and knives at the smith's, were those all yours?"

"Yes, and more besides."

They entered the fresh air. Both exhaled loudly.

"Gloin, Dori, Jane, what are you doing?" Ann asked incredulously. For the three were kneeling and burying something, a body?

"Making a deposit in the bank of mother earth." Jane smiled. Ann immediately felt stupid, who were they going to bury? Ann was still here and Bofur was in the hord.

"Yeah, hurry up and finish that before Thorin comes." Fili grimaced. "He will think it dishonorable."

The other dwarves stood up. And together they went back to camp.

"Here, Bilbo, this is about your size." Ann watched as a surprised Bilbo was given a sword, shorter than hers, but still elegant, by Gandalf.

"I can't take this." Bilbo tried to give Gandalf back the sword, but Gandalf just lit his pipe.

"The blade is of elvish make, which means it will glow when orcs or goblins are nearby." Gandalf blew a smoke ring.

"I've never used a sword or blade ever in my life." Bilbo said softly.

"I hope you never have to." Gandalf said gravely. "But when you do, remember this, courage is about knowing how not to take a life, but when to spare one."

"Something's coming!" Thorin roared. "Arm yourselves!"

Immediately, Fili and Ann found themselves pushed to the middle of the group of dwarves.

"Fili, what's happening?" Ann fell off Fili, who helped her up into a standing position.

"Something wicked this way comes." Jane hissed.

"Are you sure?" Ann gazed at Jane for a moment. "That's great."

"Thieves, fire, murder!" Someone screeched. Ann saw a man riding a sled pulled by rabbits. He hopped off, and immediately began blabbing to Thorin and Gandalf.

"What's he on about?" Fili muttered. "And he looks like a harmless old man, not something wicked.

"I wasn't talking about him." Jane shivered. "Something's going on."

There was a howl, like something had crawled up from hell, and was now shouting it's triumph. Something appeared at the ledge and jumped down into the ranks of the dwarves.

Thorin quickly unsheathed his sword, and killed it. Looking at it's carcass the animal looked like a disproportionate wolf. That was about the size of a horse.

There was another. Kili tried to shoot it down with his bow, but his arrow strayed from the mark, and Dwalin, with a sickening thud, his it's head with the but of his axe.

"What, are there wolves here?" Bilbo looked off into where the wolves had come from.

"Wolves? No, that isn't a wolf." Bofur said. Ann shivered, and almost collapsed, but Jane grabbed her shoulders and steadied her.

"Fili." Jane sighed. "A little help here."

"That was a warg scout." Thorin said grimly. Fili hoisted Ann onto his back, where she buried her head in his shoulder. "The orc pack won't be far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo muttered faintly.

"Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?" Gandalf towered over Thorin.

"No one." Thorin stood defiantly.

"Who?"

"No one, I swear it. What in the name of Durin is going on?"

"You are being hunted." Gandalf frowned deeply.

"We have to get out of here." Dwalin stepped forward.

"We can't! We've no ponies, they bolted." Ori huffed, having just checked.

"I'll draw them off!" The man jumped on his rabbit sled.

"These are Gundabad wargs, they will outrun you." Gandalf put a hand on the man's soldier.

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits!" The little man huffed. "I'd like to see them try." With a flick of his wrist, he shot off, and soon there was a shout, "Come get me!"

Gandalf watched as the man drew them off. "Come on."

Ann was bounced around quite a bit as they sprinted from rock to rock.

"Stay together." Gandalf turned and disappeared.

"Thanks for that." Ann muttered, and then they were off.

"Follow me." Thorin took charge. He looked over a rock, and sprinted to the next.

They stopped at the next one, well all except Ori, who was grabbed by Thorin and shoved behind him.

"Stay behind me!" Thorin hissed pressing his back to the rock.

"Come quickly." Gandalf was behind them now. They turned and went to another rock.

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin stepped in front of Gandalf. Ann blinked to make sure that she wasn't actually imagining Thorin challenging Gandalf when they were under attack from a bunch of weird wolf riding freaky things (Jane probably knew what they called.)

"Somewhere where you will be safe from the orcs." Gandalf looked over the rock to see the crazy guy losing ground in his lethal game of tag.

"Tell me or we go no further." Thorin crossed his arms and stared stubbornly at Gandalf.

Gandalf looked genuinely confounded.

"Thorin!" Ann jumped off of Fili's back and advanced on him. "Are you really doing to risk all of our lives just so you can go without injuring your pride?"

"Gandalf-"

"Is trustworthy." Ann totally disregarded the multiple hissed whispers to get her stop talking. "Do you think your pride will be saved if your company is eaten by wargs?" Ann put her hands on her hips. "What if one of your company dies because of your foolery?"

"Run!" Gandalf shouted. There were wargs closing in on all sides now. There were only rocks preventing them from being totally surrounded.

Jane was scared. She knew that made her 'weak' in the company's eyes, but she believed that fear wasn't bad, it was just how you channeled it, and if you let it take over you, that was bad. So she ran.

Her side stung, there was a stitch that was absolutely killing her.

However fast she ran, she felt frozen, and powerless. She wasn't street smart or strong and amazing at sports, that was Ann 's strong suit. She was the person who usually dealt with books and the human nature.

Reading multiple college textbooks on human nature sure hadn't prepared her for this. Jane now wished she had taken one or two of the taekwondo or kung fu classes that Ann had so badly wanted her to.

They were circling up now. The dwarves, Ann, Bilbo, and Jane. They were taking a last stand, if you would even call it that.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin yelled hoarsely.

No one spoke as the orcs closed in. Ann was on the outside bow strung and firing at a rapid pace, Kili's too. Their arrows rarely strayed from their marks and many orcs fell before they got a chance to attack.

Jane watched as Ann threw down her bow angrily. Kili too ran out of arrows.

It was like everything that could have possibly gone wrong did. For the second time, Gandalf had gone missing. They were out of options and surrounded. They had no place to go. Jane looked down at her feet. She couldn't even make a last heroic stand, in which she went down fighting, no, that would be Ann.

Then the orcs attacked. They all closed in at once. Giving Jane barely any time to flinch, and draw Ann's knife shakily from her belt.

Ann was in front of her. Lunging, dodging, stabbing, weaving. She was like an elaborate dancer. Who, if anyone deviated in the slightest from the script, would die.

There was a roar, and Jane spun to her left. Everyone was fighting but her, she was just hiding behind Ann.

Another throaty holler, and Jane pinpointed the sound. It was a warg tearing toward Ann. Ann, however was already engaged, and was struggling with a huge orc. Jane's eyes widened, as the warg jumped towards Ann.

"No!" The scream was tore from her lungs as she stumbled forward and thrust a hand out.

The warg as if shoved, flew into a rock with a sickening thud, and didn't get up again.

Jane looked at her hand over joyed, maybe she wasn't useless.

She tried it again. She imagined the orc fighting Ann flying into the stone. But he merely stumbled backward, which gave Ann the opening to drag her sword across his neck.

"THIS WAY YOU FOOLS." Gandalf stood at a stone a ways away from Jane.

"Run now," Ann jogged up to Jane. "I'll hold them off."

Jane blinked. Ann gave her a nudge and started toward a warg riding orc that was going full tilt toward the retreating dwarves, she slew his mount.

Jane sprinted toward the rock, and looked back at Ann, who was doing horribly against the orc. She was letting her left hand dangle uselessly at her side and-

"Get in." She was shoved roughly, and slid through a cave thing, at the bottom was -thank god- fourteen others and Gandalf.

"Where's Ann?" Fili stepped forward.

"Still out there."

A horn sounded and there was a pounding of hooves. One of the orcs, shot by an arrow, tumbled into the hole.

The company had their weapons drawn.

"Dead." Thorin said plucking the arrow from the orcs chest. His face twisted into a grimace. "Elves."

"I cannot see where the pathway leads." Dwalin said to Thorin. "Do we follow it or no?"

"Follow it of course!" Bofur grinned.

"What about Ann?" Jane stepped forward. All eyes turned to her.

"Jane's right, we need to go back for her." Fili pounded his fists together.

"No, if the elves are here then they will have taken her captive already. It is of no use." Thorin shook his head.

"We at least need to try." Kili put in.

"Uncle! Have you forgotten? She's a part of our company!" Fili stared reproachfully at Thorin.

"Yes, and have you forgotten that I am the leader of the company?"

"Then will we follow the tunnel, to see where it leads?" Balin asked.

Thorin nodded.

"Sometimes the only way to go is forward." Jane whispered fearfully. She was one of the last to follow Balin.

Fili lingered a moment longer to glare disgustedly at the hole whence they came. After a few moments of silence, he sighed angrily and followed.

Jane shut everyone out.

There was an ache in the right side of her body. She felt like half of her was missing. Ann was her twin, and sometimes they had a more-than-physical-bond. Like when Ann fell out of a tree and broke her arm. Jane had started sobbing inside of the house, ceasing her coloring to clutch her right arm. Then Ann had walked in. Scraped and with her arm hanging out of place, all she wanted was for Jane to stop crying.

But that was Ann for you. If anyone was in harm's way, she would swan dive in and plant herself in the middle of it. She was so solid and reliable that nothing could knock her down, not even Jane almost laughed a tornado, if she wanted to stay standing.

What could have happened to her? Jane shuddered. Best case scenario was that she was taken captive by the elves. Who by the book's description, and Thorin's Jane gathered they were two faced.

The worst case scenario? She was dead. The orcs had slain her, or the elves did. No telling what they thought of humans. Or of Ann. Jane smiled sadly thinking how badly Ann would take being captured.

She could just imagine Ann swearing the elves out, and lashing out at them, with both her body and tongue.

Jane almost chuckled as she realized just how bull headed and stubborn Ann was. She had known before, but that she thought about it...

She remembered Ann dragging her outside and away from their homework, to play soccer with her so she could make the school team. She remembered Ann let her head bang on the table and groaning as Jane tried to tutor her. Ann making wood swords in the third grade and "dueling" with their father. She thought of when Ann made the varsity basketball team and ran around their room screaming. Jane remembered the mornings after the crazy friday night college parties when Ann would sleep until noon, and Jane would make her soup. Jane sniffled and blinked a couple of times. She remembered the time when she made Fili carry her up to Bilbo's house. She remembered how Ann had laughed and made jokes along with the dwarves, making herself perfectly at home. Jane knew she had taken a bit longer to get comfortable, but such was the way of things.

The thing she most remembered was how angry she had gotten when she had found the camp of trolls and seen the dwarves in sacs.

"Listen up, his is how this's going to go down." Ann had said. "You take my knife, I've my bow, and cut the dwarves free, while I distract the trolls. But do me a favor?" Ann had sighed and looked back at the troll's camp. "Cut Fili free last, alright? I don't want him barging in and getting himself hurt for me."

Jane had nodded and accepted the knife.

That was when Jane realized that Ann had subconsciously taken a liking to one of the company. But did Ann realize it? Probably not. Anne never realized anything unless it was handed to her on a silver platter.

But that sparked another question, did Ann know why they were even in middle earth?

Jane had already figured out why they were here, in middle earth that was (probably because she had so much time to herself in her lonesome corner.) But she hadn't gotten the chance to tell Ann yet. Or ask her what the hell they were going to do about knowing the whole adventures plot… But then again, Ann had only skimmed the book, and then proceeded to, less than an hour later take the book report quiz.

Jane trudged along drearily, feeling as if she was going to cry. They got to an opening. Sunlight shown through. Jane stepped out into the bright evening light.

The first thing she noticed was the air. It was so much fresher here, but Ann would have noticed was the town below them.

But Ann wasn't there.

Jane glared dismally at the would be happy surreal village.

None of the company reciprocated her mood, except for Thorin, who instead of glaring at the village with Jane, glared at Gandalf.

"This is Imraldis. Though in the common tongue it's known by a different name." Gandalf was quite oblivious of Thorin's glare.

"Rivendell." Bilbo breathed.

"Here lies the last homely house, east of the sea." Gandalf finished.

Jane wanted to say something about finding Ann, she opened her mouth but-

"This was your plan all along." Thorin stepped forward. "To seek refuge with our enemy."

Gandalf gave him an odd look. "You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill-will that lies within the valley is that which you bring yourself."

Jane was aghast at the fact that she was being ignored. She tried to step into the conversation and failed.

"You think the elves will give our quest their blessing?" Thorin looked at Gandalf snidely. "They will try to stop us."

"But will you let them?" Jane was angry now. "We have questions that need answering Thorin. One of our company is lost. If you want to be successful, you need to handle this tactfully." Jane tried to mimic Ann's glare that made teachers shudder, and guys back away slowly.

Thorin nodded once.

"This will need no small amount of charm, so you will leave the talking to me."

Jane admired the beautifully carved bridge. Jane was almost glad Ann wasn't here. But then she wasn't, because there was a chance that Ann might be dead.

"But still," Jane thought, "Ann would probably die rather than cross this bridge." Jane zoned out and thought about how Ann wasn't really scared of anything except for heights, spiders, and of course her own blood.

They passed two statues of elven guards holding spears, and Jane felt uneasy, there was a staircase that led up to a castle, that at that moment looked really intimidating.

They stood for but a moment until a dark haired elf came to meet them.

"Ah, Mithrandir." The elf was looking at Gandalf.

"Lindir." Gandalf nodded.

Many of the dwarves shuffled from one foot to another, murmuring their distrust of the elf.

Jane watched, horrified as Thorin leaned over and whispered something subtly into Dwalin's ear.

"Oh, my, god." Jane breathed looking at Thorin and Dwalin. "Are they planning to kill that elf?"

"Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen." The elf said loudly. Eyeing the dwarves, his lip curled.

"I must speak with Lord Elrond." Gandalf told him, bringing his shoulders back, and holding himself importantly.

"My Lord Elrond is not here." The elf shrugged.

"Not here?" Gandalf sputtered. "Then where is he?"

Horns blasted from behind them, Thorin shouted something, and the dwarves spun around, unsheathing their weapons.

There, upon the bridge was a group of riders, and they were riding toward them, at a rapid pace, one would almost think, they meant to run them down.

Jane was on the inside of the circle, as per usual.

The elves on horseback didn't slow until they were riding around the dwarves in circles.

One elf, with black hair, and a braided gold circlet, stepped down off his horse. "Gandalf."

Gandalf bowed gracefully. "Lord Elrond."

Elrond stopped for a moment before striding toward Gandalf, and hugging him.

"My Lord Elrond, where are the rest?" The one man said.

"They should be back in a moment." Elrond nodded at him, "They are dealing with a complication." He started conversing in low tones with Gandalf, in a language that sounded, to Jane, quite like French.

"It is strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders." Elrond was addressing the whole group. "Something, or someone must have drawn them in." He was holding up a bow, that was Ann's, Jane realized with a start, and an orc sword.

"Ah, that may have been us." Gandalf said sheepishly.

Thorin stepped forward head held high, he truly in that moment looked the part of a king.

But then a faint clip-clop was heard, and heads turned toward the bridge, where Ann was sitting sideways on the saddle of a horse, trying to cut a rope tied around her legs with a knife. Her hair had fallen out of it's usual tail, and now the reddish brown curls were being tossed about in the wind, she was caked with blood, you could tell that even from a great distance.

Lord Elrond sighed. "Here's the complication that I told you about Lindir." He turned to the company, "Do you know this human?" He held up a hand, and one of the archers pulled back the drawstring of his bow, which just happened to be aimed at Ann. "Or shall I kill her for trespassing onto my lands?"

"Yes." Jane and Fili said at once.

"She's my twin." Jane told him.

"And a part of our company." Kili added.

"Very well." Elrond lowered his hand, and the archer ceased.

Ann had gotten the rope off of her legs, and was getting uncomfortably close, uncomfortably fast. Jane sighed, and readied herself for the actions that were sure to ensue.

Ann tucked the dagger into her sword belt, which Fili had bought for her in one of the earlier towns they had passed through, and pulled hard on the reins, rage flowing through every part of her. The horse hurried to a stop, and Ann leapt off of it.

"Who the hell," Ann spat, advancing on the man who had tried to abduct her, "do you think you are? You can't just take people captive, elf." Ann spat the word like it was an insult, and glared at him.

"You were trespassing." The elf said looking amused.

"I call extenuating circumstances." Ann spat. "And for chrissake give me my sword back!"

The elf actually had the audacity to chuckle at her. "Her blade." He said to one of the elves still on horseback.

"Thank you very much." Ann yanked the sword out of the elves hands.

"What did you do to the elf who was riding that horse?" Elrond said, with a deadly icy quality about his voice.

"He is sitting somewhere without the use of his arms or legs." Ann shrugged.

"Care to elaborate?" Elrond said disbelievingly.

"If you hit someone hard enough, in the right place, it will cause their limbs to freeze up." Ann sassily threw some of her hair over her shoulder. "He pulled me onto the back of his horse, and not only did I disable his arms and legs but I stole his weapons and mount." She mock bowed to Elrond.

"Will that be all Elrond?" Ann, not waiting for a reply, strode to the company and planted herself at their head.

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin." Elrond chuckled, looking directly at Ann.

"Excuse me?" Ann opened her mouth, and probably would have gone striding toward him, had Jane not grabbed her arm.

"Are you offering insult?" Fili asked, appearing at Ann's other side.

"No master dwarf, he is offering you food." Gandalf said exasperatedly.

"Ah, well in that case lead on!" Bombur shouted excitedly.

The elves led them inside, and to their rooms. Or in Ann's case, they tried.

"So what's your name?" Ann didn't like silence, at all.

"Gaerwyn." The elf led her down another hallway.

"Well, my name's Ann. Nice to meet you." Ann was trailing slightly behind the elf.

There was silence.

"So what do you think of the weather? Really nice isn't it?"

"Fair weather is the only weather of the homely house.

"So you've never felt rain?" Ann was surprised.

"Yes."

"So there's bad weather in the Homely house too." Ann grinned.

"Who are you to say rain is bad weather?"

"By comparison, rain is worse weather than sunny days.

"Fine." The elf sounded like she actually hated Ann. That was going to have to change.

Ann grinned. Now seemed like a perfect time for some puns.

"What happened to the frog's cart when it's wheel fell off?"

"Am I supposed to know?"

"It got TOAD away." Ann chuckled and Gaerwyn just shook her head sadly.

"Why was six afraid of seven?"

"I am not liking your words."

"Because seven EIGHT nine."

"Do not say another word." Gaerwyn turned around and stopped.

"How do astronomers organize a party?"

Gaerwyn covered her ears.

"They PLANET." Ann laughed.

Gaerwyn was an elf child, Ann realized.

"What's the tallest building in the world?"

Silence.

"The library."

Gaerwyn took her hands off. "I don't get that one."

"Because it has so many stories."

Gaerwyn shook her head disbelievingly and continued walking.

"Where are we going?"

"I am to take you to your rooms, and make you in particular presentable for dinner."

"Why?" Ann almost groaned.

"Because you are to dine with my Lord Elrond." Gaerwyn opened a door, and motioned for Ann to step inside.

The room was huge, with a four poster bed, it even had a canopy drape looking thing over it.

Ann noticed a door, and walked over to it, she grabbed the knob and twisted it, and took a peek inside. There was a tub, that you could probably swim in.

"Thanks." Ann watched as Gaerwyn walked to the wardrobe, and threw it open.

"Get into the bath, and clean yourself off, I will prepare your clothes."

Ann sighed, knowing they would clash about what she would wear. "Alright."

She took a step into the bathroom, and shut the door. She let her hand graze the top of the water.

The tub was warm and frankly the perfect temperature.

Ann looked at the wall, hanging on it, was a very ornate mirror. Ann looked at herself. She had changed.

She had lost the little fat she had from being in the off season of sports, and was now tan, she even had a light spattering of freckles to go with her off color red brown hair. Ann thought she was taller too. (Although she probably wasn't.)

She took a last look in the mirror then unstrapped her sword belt, and took her dagger out of her boot, and made sure there was a towel before diving into the tub.

Ann let herself soak in it, for who knows how long, before she decided it was time to start cleaning the dirt of of herself.

She washed herself and combed her hands through her hair. It was caked with dirt, leaves, and a little blood here and there

Ann shivered, and swam away from the spot where the red cloud of blood and grime lay hauntingly.

"Make haste!" Gaerwyn was pounding on the door. "The daylight is dying!"

"I'll be out in a sec." Ann shouted back. She hauled herself out of the tub, and grabbed an incredibly fluffy towel. Wrapping herself securely she stepped back into her room.

"Get dressed." Gaerwyn held out a paste colored dress.

"Ew, no." Ann walked to the wardrobe. "No way am I wearing a dress."

"You are dining in the company of my Lord Elrond." Gaerwyn ground out. "You must be dressed appropriately."

"Who are you to define appropriate?" Ann turned around and glared. "Besides dresses are inconvenient."

"How so?" Gaerwyn tossed the dress on the bed and crossed her arms.

"Well, you can't run in them, or fight." Ann rummaged through the wardrobe picking out a couple pair of pants, and a pair of leather boots.

"But you would look presentable." Gaerwyn argued.

"But I would be undefended." Ann turned. "Which is unacceptable." Ann grabbed a plain blue shirt and brown (leather maybe?) jacket, and put them in a pile.

"What are you expecting to happen?" Gaerwyn was tapping her foot impatiently.

"You have to be ready for anything." Ann shrugged. "You never know what might happen." Ann grabbed her pile of clothes and went into the bathroom.

"I'm going to make you wear a dress." Gaerwyn shouted through the door. "Even if I have to force it upon your head!"

"Good luck with that." Ann pulled on her clothes, everything, thank god, fit perfectly. But something didn't feel right. She was missing something. Ann looked down, and chuckled.

She strapped on her sword, and tucked the dagger in her boot. Now she was good.

Ann waltzed back into the room, to discover Gaerwyn standing by the door, key in hand.

"I've locked the door." Gaerwyn said proudly. "I'm not unlocking it until you get the dress on."

Ann sighed, and watched sadly as Gaerwyn walked to the bed and held the stupid dress out.

Ann trudged to the door, and pulled at the handle. It wouldn't budge. Ann was hit with an idea. It was a bit stupid, and Ann would probably end up getting hurt, but… The door was wood...

"Well?" The triumph in Gaerwyn's voice was too much for Ann. Now she had to do it.

She eyed the spot right beside the knob and positioned her feet so she wouldn't totally fail at this.

With a grunt, Ann brought her foot up and kicked the door.

Gaerwyn gave a muffled scream. "What are you doing?"

Ann bent and examined the door, there was a mildly long crack in it.

"Testing the strength of this door." Ann turned and grinned. "But it doesn't appear to be very strong."

Gaerwyn ran over to her. "Don't break it!"

"Are you going to unlock the door?" Ann already knew the answer.

"No, you have to dress-"

Ann kicked the door again. The crack widened.

"What's going on?" A voice sounded outside the door. "What's going on in here?"

"I don't know, who're you? Are you an elf?" Ann cursed her ill luck.

"I'm Fili, here with the company of Thorin." Ann heard the handle jiggle. "Why is this door locked?"

"Oh, it's Ann in here and someone's trying to force me into a dress, would you mind standing back a moment?"

"Ann what the hell have you gotten yourself into?" Fili sighed.

Ann kicked the door, and with an almighty thud, it swung open.

"I haven't got myself into anything. I'm just getting out of things." Ann strode out into the hallway. Fili and Jane were both standing aways from her door.

"Dress?" Jane grinned.

"Never." Ann made a face.

"I should've known something like this would happen with you." Fili smirked.

"Why do I always get the troublesome ones?" Gaerwyn groaned.

"You got a helper?" Jane scoffed. "Unfair."

"I'm telling my Lord Elrond." Gaerwyn strode down the hallway.

"Should we follow her?" Ann asked dubiously.

"No, elves are all talk." Fili said dismissively. "Let's go find the rest of the company."

"Okay, and where are they, Fili the knowledgeable?" Ann smirked.

"Well." The smirk slid off of his face.

"I thought so!" Ann grinned.

"Oh really? I guess you know where it is then?" Fili crossed his arms.

Ann paled.

"Come on you two." Jane was halfway down the hall.

They ran after Jane, laughing.

Ann was mildly disappointed. Their food was all leaves.

Now, don't get her wrong, Ann had nothing against salads. They were great. If they had excessive amounts of toppings that is. But this one didn't.

Ann's lip raised in disgust. Jane glanced and her and rolled her eyes.

"Kind of you to invite us for dinner." Jane thanked Elrond.

They were sitting at a table with Bilbo, Gandalf, Balin, and Thorin.

It was boring, and there food was horrible, they didn't even have any meat.

"My pleasure." Elrond was nibbling at his food, quite oblivious to his guests discomfort.

The talk turned to their travels, in describing which Thorin had even Jane thinking for moment before she got which part of the adventure he was talking about.

"You encountered trolls?" Elrond said disdainfully. "On the East Road?"

"Yes, and we discovered some rather unusual swords."

Gandalf motioned to Thorin, who with jaw set, and eyes narrowed, handed his across the table, and Elrond pulled it toward him, caressing the scabbard softly.

"Yes," He said looking up "forged by the high elves of the West. My kin. It's the Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver, may it serve you well." He handed back regretfully back to Thorin.

"And this one." Gandalf handed his to Elrond who's eyes widened slightly.

"This is Glamdring." Elrond whispered. "The sword of the king of Gondolin." He looked up at Gandalf, almost aghast. "These were made for the Goblin wars of the first age…"

Ann looked down at her sword. Maybe it wasn't special. Maybe it was. Maybe it was forged for a princess. Maybe it was just a chunk of metal.

Jane followed her gaze, and shook her head.

"Hey, what about this one?" Ann handed her sword to Elrond, ignoring an exasperated Jane.

"This was made for a sorceress, many centuries ago." Elrond held onto the sword. "You came by these in a troll hoard?"

"Yep. Which sorceress is she commonly known?"

"You wouldn't know, she has long passed." Elrond didn't hand the sword back which was rather irksome for Ann, as she was left feeling quite empty without it.

Gandalf looked surprised, while everyone else practically had question marks floating over their heads, except Jane of course.

"One of the blue sorcerers." Gandalf started. "They traveled into the West with Saurman, and never returned."

There was silence for a moment.

"It's called Mattur." Elrond reluctantly handed it to Ann. "May it serve you well."

"Thanks." Ann strapped it into her scabbard, and started picking at her food.

An idea popped into her head. Breaking off a piece of her broccoli looking thing, Ann took careful aim, before looking away and tossing at Fili.

Glancing out of the corner of her eye. Ann saw Fili staring at her with an expression that said exactly. "If-you-weren't-sitting-next-to-my-uncle-I-would-be-throwing-my-entire-plate-at-you."

Ann smirked and motioned her head subtly toward the door to the castle.

Fili sighed loudly and stood up abruptly, his chair squeaking on the flagstones, excused himself and walked inside.

Ann waited but a moment before standing up and asking, "Where's the restroom?"

Elrond pointed to the door. "It is the thirteenth door on your right."

"Thanks." Ann walked up the path and to the door, and paused a moment to look over her shoulder. The only one watching her was Jane, who had her head cocked and was looking with at her. Smirking she opened the door, and stepped inside.

What the hell are you doing now Ann? Ann turned violently around and stared at Jane through the door. Was she mistaken or was that Jane's voice inside of her head? They had been close, Ann knew and had a precognitive ability when it came to each other. They had tried for hours to communicate telepathically when they were little, but they had never even come close.

"Why did you call me here Ann?" Fili was sitting leaning against the wall and carving something in his hands.

"What're ya doing?" Ann plopped down next to him. She leaned to look over his shoulder.

Fili shrugged, stuffing the chunk of wood into his cloak, and put the knife in his boot.

"Don't try and change the question Ann." Fili looked down the hall.

"Alright mr. cranky, I was wondering if you wanted to go and see if would find the kitchen and get some sweets?"

Fili chuckled and shook his head. "You act like a child."

"Is that a bad thing?" Ann sighed. "Fine, I'll go by myself."

Ann started to walk off down the hall, leaving Fili disgruntled.

"Ann wait." Fili stood up. "I'll come with you."

"Oh grand!" Ann turned around grinning, and waited for Fili to catch up.

"Do you even know where the kitchen is?" Fili stopped.

"Nope." Ann stopped and continued grinning at him.

"What if we get lost?"

"What if we find something interesting?" Ann crossed her arms and raised her chin. "You'll never know if you don't try."

"Where are we wandering then?"

"Nowhere, we're wandering. Wandering is not where you're going, and still going." Ann looked back at him. "Don't be a party pooper."

"Why are you using slang in a elvish castle?"

"Because." Ann started walking again, and Fili reluctantly followed.

"What about the company? What will they do when we don't return?"

"Jane will most likely cover for me." Ann looked down a smaller branch off hallway that was deserted.

"Fine." Fili strode into the corridor. "Let's wander then."

Ann grinned and skipped after him.

They had only walked around for a bit, when they came across two guards.

"What are you doing?" The first thing that Ann noticed was their height, compared to Fili and her, they were giants.

"Stuff." Ann looked up innocently at them.

"We are finding a lost companion." Fili sighed at Ann. "She was looking for the bathroom and didn't return so we were sent looking for her." Fili nudged Ann, then started to walk around the guards.

"Will you keep a look out for her?" Ann took a step around them.

"Wait, what is she like?" The elf look bewildered.

"Thanks." Ann waved over her shoulder and jogged off to catch up with Fili.

"That went well." Fili looked over at Ann with a smirk twisting his lips.

"I think so too."

It took a while for them to get to the kitchens, but they did it, and were now currently hiding in the servants trolley chute, which was actually quite spacious. Ann and Fili were both able to fit

"What if it's filled with elves Fili." Ann groaned. "What're we going to do?"

Fili dared not peak through the chute opening. "I've no idea."

"Perfect I know what we can do!" Ann whispered.

"What." Fili rubbed his hands together.

"Well." Ann steepled her hands. "It's just an idea, and I need to figure some things, but I think it'll work."

"Let's hear it." Fili looked a little hesitant, but Ann was grateful that he even participated in this with her.

"So basically. What we have to do is try to set something on fire." Ann grinned.

"How would we do that?" Fili leaned forward and steepled his hands.

"Yeah, er okay so I kinda don't know that part."

Fili laughed right in her face.

"Come on." Ann grimaced. "It's not that bad is it?"

Fili hid his chuckle behind a hand.

"Alright, you have flint and steel right?" Ann held out her hand. "Give it to me."

"It goes against my good judgement to do this." Fili took out a stone and a piece of metal that looked a handle, or a rather square brass knuckle.

"Thanks for that vote of confidence." Ann took the flint and steel and took a bit of cloth from her handy jacket-that-was-really-one-of-Fili's-that-had-gone"missing" Ann tried to tear the cloth, and failed.

Fili sighed and took the cloth from her. He took it between two fingers, and tore it.

"Quit smirking would you?" Ann rolled her eyes and opened the chute and let a piece fall to the floor, where there was a bit of spilled oil. Taking the second piece of cloth, she folded it once, and proceeded to try to light it on fire.

She hit the spark handle against the flint, nothing.

She did it again, this time the flint actually cut into the hand she was holding it with.

"That's great." Ann muttered.

She tried again, this time the flint bounced out of her hand and rolled toward the chute.

Fili lunged and grabbed it.

"Thanks." Ann laughed nervously. "That wouldn't have ended well."

"D'you think it's time for me to do that." Fili held out his hand.

"One more time, then you can have a go at it." Ann grinned and high-fived his outstretched palm.

"You are going to get us found out." Fili said simply, handing her the stone.

"Nope." Ann brought the flint and steel together over the cloth, and closed her eyes, willing the cloth to catch fire.

It did. Ann, silently cheering, watched as Fili picked it up, and throw it out of the shoot, it landed in the oily cloth and the floor around the chute caught fire.

"This is all your fault." Ann shook her head, retreating to sit and lean against the back wall.

"How is this my fault, you were the one who suggested the whole light a fire to cause a distraction." Fili opened the chute all the way.

"It worked though." Ann shrugged and crawled forward, crouching on the edge. She prepared to jump.

"Stop, you are going to land in the fire." Fili read Ann's mind and grabbed her shoulder.

"The more time we waste, the more time until the elves come back." Ann looked over her shoulder at Fili, who let go. "I'll toss 'em to you, alright?"

"Fine." Fili sat back.

Ann leapt across the floor, and tucked into a roll. She sprang up, getting a pitcher of water from one one of the basins, and throwing onto the fire.

"Hah! Ann saves Fili, again!" Ann grinned with her hands on her hips.

"I could have gotten out of it by myself." Fili climbed gracefully out of the chute.

"Well, you didn't, so be grateful. did you even see that amazing roll thing I just did?" Ann frowned at Fili.

Fili chuckled, and ruffled her hair. "Yes, good job."

"You're not allowed to touch my hair." Ann brushed his hand off and started trying to fix it. She sighed and gave up, her hair was untamable.

Fili smiled and strode to the pantry, and threw it open.

Ann went to the ovens, and opened it. The aroma was heavenly. She set her gaze to the mini buns, that were oozing jam or something of the sort, and squealed. "Ooh, Fili, look at these things! they look delicious!"

Fili didn't even look at her. "Then grab them, as you said, we don't have much time."

Ann grinned and reached into the oven. Her hand stopped, and curled into a fist. "Yeah where's a glove I can take this out with?"

"A glove?" Fili gave her an odd look. "The cradle's right here." He motioned to besides the oven.

"Oh, yeah, hah, sorry." Ann scratched the back of her head.

She grabbed the stick thing with a square on the end and took the pan out and dumped the things into a pile on the counter.

Fili brought over some circle shaped things the size of your two thumbs pressed together.

A tapping was heard outside of the door. It sounded like someone was unlocking the door. Fili grabbed most of the pile, and dove into the chute, Ann however had spotted a apple pie.

She met Fili's eyes. He shook his head. Ann grinned and grabbed the pie, and sprinted to the chute. Fili slammed it shut and the door opened.

"Hello?" A musically lilting voice sounded throughout the room. "Is anyone here?"

Fili and Ann began pulling the rope in the side of the shoot, and they heard the elf shuffling around the kitchen.

"Where did everything go?" The voice was slightly suspicious now.

Fili started pulling the rope a little faster, and you could clearly hear the faint rustling in the chute, and Ann was terrified it would give them away.

They heard a sigh, and it was a couple minutes of awkward silence before they got to the next floor.

"That pie had better taste delicious." Fili was smirking at Ann, who was grinning like a madman."

"Pshaw, the only thing the elves can cook are deserts." Ann waved him off. "Besides the thing that we have to worry about now is figuring out where the others are now."

Fili didn't look one bit guilty.

They laughed and talked all the wandering while, and of course ate sweets.

"Well we have a problem." Ann was sitting and leaning against Fili.

"What is it?" Fili looked as if there was nothing in the world that could faze him.

"We might have to ask an elf where the company is."

"Nope." Fili stood up resolutely, letting Ann fall back against the floor.

He held a hand to her, and she accepted, letting him pull her to her feet. There was an awkward moment when they were holding hands, before they both pulled away.

"Last one to Thorin has to give the other the soonest dessert that they receive, deal?" Ann grinned holding out her hand.

"Prepare to not have any dessert tomorrow." Fili shrugged and shook her hand.

"ONE TWO THREE GO!" Ann turned around and sprinted off, leaving Fili a little bewildered, but it was only a moment before he turned and sprinted off too.

"Hey!" Ann shouted at a pair of elves. One was a black haired girl, the other was a slightly shorter blond guy.

"Why are you here?" The shorter one with blond hair sneered.

"Doesn't matter, I need to get to Thorin right now." Ann stopped, panting, in front of them.

"I'll bring you to him!" The red haired girl glared at the blond man. "He's in the planetarium."

"Thanks, but hurry, it's of the utmost importance!" Ann grinned. Fili wasn't going to get there nearly as fast as she was going to, ha! "Desserts here I come." Ann thought.

They both sprinted off, Ann slightly behind the elf.

They were actually quite close to the planetarium, but they were going the way Fili had gone, which scared Ann just a bit, what if he got there first? What would happen to the poor desserts?

The doors were huge, and had engravings of stars, moons, and strange symbols that looked like cuneiform.

"They are in here." The red haired elf smiled at her. "My friends call me Adilyn."

"Thanks." Ann grinned. "I need you to find my one friend, he's blond about my height, and he's lost. I'm afraid he's a little directionally challenged."

Adilyn looked confused. "Is he wandering the halls?"

"Looking for Thorin, yes." Ann nodded.

"You want me to bring him here?" Adilyn looked annoyed.

"Oh no." Ann looked "He's a confounded nuisance. I need you to delay him in any way possible."

Adilyn laughed, it was a clear crystal sound, like wind chimes.

"What?" Ann placed her hand on the door.

"You are racing him, are you not?" Adilyn smiled.

"That's one way of putting it." Ann looked at the door, with a ghost of a smile on her face. "One that makes it sound childish."

"Cherish your innocence." Adilyn put a hand on her shoulder. "T'will not last much longer."

"Thank you." Ann pushed the door open.

"Twas my pleasure." Adilyn watched her walk inside for but a moment, then went in search of her friend, fully intending to lead him to his room.

Ann walked into the planetarium, it was beautiful, now that it was dark, the stars were way brighter than any she had seen, probably because she had lived in a city all her life.

Ann stood gazing at the stars, then realized no one had noticed her presence. There were few people in the room. Just Thorin, Jane, Bilbo, Balin, Gandalf, and Elrond.

Ann grinned and crept behind a statue.

"Our business is no concern of the elves." Thorin was saying gruffly.

"For God's sake Thorin, show him the map." Gandalf was seriously annoyed.

"It is the legacy of my people; it is mine to protect, as are its secrets."

"Save me from the stubbornness of dwarves." Gandalf crossed his arms. "Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in middle earth that can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond."

Elrond actually looked unperturbed.

Thorin stood there for a few seconds, looking at Elrond, as if he could make him swear to secrecy.

"Thorin what if I told you that you can only see something tonight, and that something will change the course of this journey, that no matter how far you travel, you will only be able to find the answers tonight." Jane said slowly.

Ann remembered three things from the Hobbit summary she read online at 3 a.m. the day before the test. One was that the line of Durin was discontinued. The second was that Bilbo finds a magical ring. But the thing that really stood out to her was that there only one night when you could read the ruin-things. Ann thought that was the only flawed part of the book.

Thorin stared at her surprised. "What are you implying."

"Magical runes." Jane explained. Ann frowned at him. He was as stubborn as an ox, not that she had any room to talk.

Thorin reluctantly took a step forward, and held the map out to Elrond.

"Thorin no!" Balin grabbed his shoulder.

Thorin brushed Balin off and gave Jane a look that said quite plainly if-this-doesn't-work-you're-going-to-be-blamed.

Elrond took the map and slowly unfolded it.

"Erebor, what interest do have there?" Elrond didn't look at Thorin, but instead at Ann.

"It's mainly academic." Ann said bluntly, stepping out of the shadows.

The company turned to her, and Elrond nodded.

"Yes, as you know some of these maps contain hidden texts. You still read ancient dwarvish, do you not?" Gandalf recovered and stepped in.

"Cirth Ithil." Elrond said surprised, and looked closer at the map.

"Moon runes." Gandalf nodded. "Of course, an easy thing to miss."

"In this case especially so." Elrond looked up and passed his gaze from Ann to Jane, and back again. "Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon the same shape and season of the day they were written."

"Can you read them?" Thorin stepped closer to Elrond, presumably trying to get a glimpse of the map.

"Yes. These runes were written on a Midsummer's eve by the light of a crescent moon, nearly 200 years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell, fate is with you Thorin Oakenshield. It is the same moon that shines upon us tonight."

They walked outside to a piece of crystal that was fashioned into a low podium like table.

Elond laid the map on the crystal and looked up at the sky.

The moon shone down onto the group.

Ann watched the map, nothing happened.

"Nothing's happening." Ann was stunned.

"What do you mean?" Elrond looked at her strangely. "These runes have appeared."

"No, those were already there." Ann shook her head.

"What do you mean by this?" Gandalf narrowed his eyes.

"After you went off to discover the road ahead, before we encountered the trolls, I wrote these in the dirt for Thorin." Ann turned to Thorin and Balin.

"The lass is right." Balin nodded wisely. "She wrote this in the dirt on the side of the path."

"How could you see them?" Elrond asked.

"I dunno." Ann shrugged. "Maybe it's because I'm so magical."

"Humans do not possess any magical power." Elrond cocked his head. "So how can you see?"

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Balin stepped between Ann and Elrond.

"Quite the contrary, you two are twins," he addressed Ann and Jane, "are you not?"

"Yeah, born on the same day and everything" Ann crossed her arms.

"Stop beating around the bush, what are you saying?" Thorin looked suspiciously at Elrond.

"Nothing." Gandalf stepped in. "He means nothing, you two will not be told what may not be true."

"The map." Ann pointed. "What does it say?"

"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting suns with the last light Durin's day will shine upon the keyhole." Elrond translated.

"Durin's day." Bilbo questioned. Ann turned, she had forgotten he was there, and judging by the looks on Balin's and Thorin's faces, they had too.

"It is the start of the dwarves new year, when the last moon of autumn and first sun of winter appear in the sky together." Gandalf explained.

"This is ill news. Summer is passing. Durin's day will soon be upon us." Thorin said morbidly.

"We still have time." Balin said decisively.

"Time for what?" Bilbo said, ever the clueless one.

"To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened." Balin looked suspiciously at Elrond.

Bilbo hooked his hands in his belt loops.

"So this is your purpose, to enter the mountain." Elrond said slowly.

"What of it." Thorin looked dangerous, dressed in black, with a hand around his sword.

"There are some that would not deem it wise." Elrond put in.

"Who do you mean?" Thorin smirked.

Elrond walked back inside. "You are not the only one to stand guard over Middle-Earth." He turned over his shoulder and looked back at them one time, then walked off without another word.

"That was rude." Ann coughed.

"To say the least." Bilbo looked ruffled.

"Well, he, or someone he is associated with is going to try and stop us." Ann snorted.

"What are you saying?"

"Same reason I could read the writing." Ann looked straight at them.

"You can wield magic." Thorin looked at her in a new light.

"No, it's because I'm always right." Ann made a face.

The company sighed.

"So what are we going to do?" Balin looked at Gandalf.

Fili burst through the door.

"No, wait, you must not-" Adalyn came into view grinning.

"Did you do this?" Fili stormed into the room.

"Sorry, I tried to lock him in his room." Adalyn grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah," Ann scratched the back of her head "my friend Adalyn here helped me out."

"She told me I was going to be executed for going into the kitchens." Fili crossed his arms angrily.

Ann laughed and turned to the group, "What will we do?"

"About what?" Balin asked.

"The White council will meet tonight." Jane nodded. "They will try to stop us."

The group looked uneasy, and Adalyn stood awkwardly in the door.

"What's going on?" Adalyn took a half step forward.

"Your Lord Elrond plans to hold us prisoner, and postpone our quest." Thorin looked darkly at Adalyn.

"To the point where we would be unable to complete it." Jane added.

"What? Why would he do such a thing?" Adalyn looked horrified.

"He thinks the quest will upset the balance of middle earth." Jane frowned.

"If we leave now we could go before they get a chance to stop us." Ann suggested.

"We need supplies." Thorin turned to her.

Ann and Fili met each other's eyes and grinned. "We know where the kitchens are." They chorused.

"I can help." Adalyn stepped forward determinedly.

Thorin looked at all of them in turn. "Fili, Ann, you get as much food as will fit in as many pack's as you can get. Elf-"

"It's Adalyn." Adalyn narrowed her eyes.

"Help them, make sure they get what they need, we are going to take the mountain pass. We will need hiking supplies."

Adalyn nodded.

"I will go alert the company, we leave in an hour." Balin volunteered.

"Make sure that they have what they need." Thorin nodded.

"Alright you two." Adilyn turned towards them for a moment, then walked to the door, "Let's get a move on."


	5. The Great Escape

**Hah, get what I did there with the title? I love that song. Anyway, I've been focused on plot this week so not so many words in this chapter, but I think you'll like it. Anyway so on with the story~**

 **Review my story~ I'm always looking for pointers and such. ~ENJOY~**

Ann thought herself to be a fairly efficient person. But obviously no one else thought of her like that.

"Please explain to me who the phantom seventeenth person coming on our trip with us is?" Jane scowled at Ann. "We have forty five minutes Ann, I hope you know what you're doing."

Ann opened and closed her mouth then placed a pack back on the shelf. "Okay, to the kitchens then, I guess?"

Adilyn was really fast, and graceful, and even Jane found some empowerment by the fact that the company may or may not leave without them if they weren't at Thorin's room in a half an hour. Ann found it horribly distracting.

Ann had always performed bad under pressure, that's why she was bad at free shots, and taking huge really long tests. She had once missed a really obvious question, because she over thought it to the point where she was able to convince herself that the opposite was true.

Just like now, in fact where she was trying to fill up the sacks with food, and provisions.

"Ann, why aren't you filling everything up?" Jane turned to her.

"Well, that, sister dearest, is because we need to fit hiking supplies in too." Ann was getting mildly annoyed at Jane, she worked well under pressure, extremely well perhaps. But the side effect was brusque rudeness.

"Good idea, but still fill them up a bit more." Adilyn smiled kindly at her.

"Alright." Ann set to work again and soon they were done.

"Now for the hiking supplies." Jane started to grab a pack.

"I will go get them, you two know not what to get, and you need to get your own belongings." Adiln took the pack gently. "Entrust me, I will get them to you in no more than a half an hour."

"Thanks a ton Adilyn." Ann took Jane's arm. "Let's go."

They walked out of the kitchen and Ann started jogging back to the rooms.

"What if she needs help?" Jane asked Ann. "What happens if we don't leave in," Jane checked her watch, "thirty five minutes?"

"That hour was only an approximation Jane." Ann turned and walked back toward her. "And could you not tell that we were only slowing her down?" Ann chuckled "I think that she might have gotten annoyed at my incompetence."

"No, I was the one who tripped and spilled a whole thing of food." Jane chuckled and followed Ann to the rooms.

"Meet you here in ten?" Jane grabbed her door handle.

Jane and Ann stood outside of their rooms, which were right next door to each others.

"Nah, I think I might need a couple of hours, to get the three belongings that I haven't broken yet." Ann grinned, glad she had gotten Jane out of her shlump.

"Alright, last one out is a rotten egg." Jane opened her door.

Ann burst through the broken door, and went immediately to her closet, where her bag was sitting neatly inside. She grabbed her cloak, now cleaned back to it's royal blue color, and fastened it around her neck. She grabbed multiple jackets and pairs of pants from the closet, but really was surprised that they didn't have tops.

"What do they expect me to wear a dress on a mountain path?" Ann paled. She had forgotten about the fact they would be taking a mountain path. That meant heights. She absolutely hated heights. That was why they took the boat instead of flying to New Zealand.

Ann shivered and threw random shirts into her bag, hey, if it covered 90% of her it was good.

She searched through the back of the closet, no knives weapons, anything. Unless you counted the needle and thread that laid on one of the top shelves.

Ann actually looked at the wardrobe for a moment, not at the clothes inside it, but actually at it. She took a step back and looked at the doors.

It was very ornate, with engravings that all seemed to be useless, well if you didn't value such things. Ann ran her hand over the letterings, they were probably some elvish runes.

Ann felt rather than saw a little abnormality in the wood. It was like the lines and curves didn;t quite match up.

Ann ran her fingers over it again, it was the spot in the very left corner of the front, right where the hinge was. She pressed on it and there was a click.

Ann's mouth opened, she really couldn't believe this, she was discovering a hidden compartment, doorway, something! It was almost like she was living a book!

Ann opened the closet again, and ran her hands along the cracks, to see what that clicking had been.

She pressed on the back wall, and it fell away to reveal a rack of weapons. There was a bow and quiver of arrows, which Ann took immediately, then there were an assortment of knives. She took three. Two for her bag, and another for her sleeve. The two she put in her bag were quite large about the length of her forearm. The one she tucked in her sleeve however was small, just barely the size of her hand.

Ann grinned and looked down at the last thing. It was a bottle about the size of her thumb. It was filled with blackish purple liquid, that looked like the colors were morphing and changing every second. It was rather useless to leave it, Ann supposed. Or else some one could use is to harm you later. She shoved the bottle in her bag too, and then she was off.

It was chaos in the hall. Everyone was running from room to room grabbing things.

Fili was telling Kili something. Ann thought Fili might have been ridiculing Kili, but Kili stormed inside his room before Ann could ask him what had happened.

Bofur had found some wine and was trying to convince Dwalin that it was absolutely necessary that they take it.

Thorin was nowhere to be seen. But Bombur had gotten stuck in a doorway, and Ori was trying to smuggle some elvish books into his pack, but Balin had one in his hand, and did not seem happy.

Adilyn was behind her. "I have your supplies." She looked really odd, carrying sixteen packs and a staff. "Where do I put them?"

Ann took one look down the hallway and nodded. She looked over her shoulder and sighed. "One moment please." She looked down the hall and waved her hands, it got the attention of Bilbo, who came scuttling over to her.

"What am I supposed to do?" He squeaked.

"EVERYONE LISTEN UP!" Ann shouted. "Get over and get a pack from Adilyn." Ann motioned to behind her. "Don't lose it, this is all the rations you get to make it through the mountains." Ann held up a hand as the dwarves took a step towards her.

"And I would suggest for those of you who are thinking about taking extra supplies, don't." Ann deadpanned "They will do nothing but weigh you down or get lost on the mountain pass." Ann lowered her hand.

She grabbed a pack and made her way to Balin, who was staying at the back of the twelve dwarves surging up to get a pack of food.

"Where is Thorin?" She asked. "I have to talk to him about how we are getting out of the valley undetected."

"I believe that is what is trying to do at the moment lass." Balin shook his head. "I would not bother him." Balin gave her a pat on the shoulder and then strode away to make final preparations.

"All right then." Ann sighed frustratedly. "I guess I have to find him myself."

Jane walked out of her room and grabbed Ann. "Has Adalyn come with the packs yet?"

"Yeah, go get yours." Ann nodded over to the end of the hall, where a confused Adalyn was standing holding two packs.

"Adalyn, come on." Ann waved her over.

"Thanks." Jane accepted a pack and they wandered down the hall.

"You wouldn't happen to know which room is Thorin's, do you?" Ann asked Adilyn nonchalantly.

"Yes." Adilyn stepped in front of Ann and Jane and led them to a room on the right.

Jane went to knock, but before she got a chance, Ann opened the door and walked in.

Thorin was leaning over a table, his hands on either side of the map of the homely house and mountain pass around it. He looked up as they walked in.

"Have you figured out a way to get us unnoticed out of here?" Ann plopped down in a seat.

"No." Thorin looked at her reproachfully.

"Fun. I bet you're glad that I walked in." Ann grinned and steepled her hands.

"Quite the opposite." Thorin stood back and turned the map so that Jane and Adalyn could see.

"Burn." Jane pulled out a chair and sat.

"We have guards stationed here," Adalyn tapped the spot by where they had eaten dinner, "here," she pointed to the spot where the house led to the mountain pass, "and here." She tapped the mountain pass.

"The problem is going to be getting out of the house, as that is where reinforcements will be closest." Jane nodded.

"How many elves guard the place right at the first station that we have to pass?" Ann looked at the map intently. "We might be able to draw them out with a distraction."

"Three." Adalyn nodded.

"It would have to be minor enough for them to not call for backup." Jane thought out loud. "Yet big enough for all three of them to come."

"I already played the I'm lost card."

"What?" Adalyn. "What do you mean, you already played it?"

"Well I'm going to be the one causing the distraction right?" Ann looked at them quizically. "Because when it comes to mischief I can manage it."

"We need to figure out how to get out before we figure out who is going to cause the distraction." Jane watched Thorin open his mouth imperiously.

"We call the first ones away with what kind of distraction?" Ann closed her eyes and flashed through all the different scenarios.

There was a pregnant silence.

"I know, this always works in the movies." Ann jumped up.

"We aren't in a movie." Jane sighed.

Ann raised an eyebrow, and Jane caught her eye and sighed.

"We call them away with fake orders." Ann told them. "When I say we, I mean Adalyn."

"Alright that takes care of that." Jane nodded.

"We will need to be quick, the guards will soon figure out the mistake and tell their superior." Thorin stared off broodingly.

"True, we will need to be quick anyway." Ann put her hands to her temples.

"Second station." Jane looked at Ann with a warning in her eyes.

"Since this is outside, we lead them off with a wild goosechase." Ann pointed to the map. "The company will need to hide though."

"We won't have that luxury at the third set of guards." Thorin said gravely.

"We can disable that trio." Ann waved her hand at Thorin.

"But not kill them." Jane gave everyone in the room a fierce stare. "We needn't lose the goodwill of those here."

Thorin nodded.

"I go up to the third set of guards and lead two of them off." Ann had already formulated a plan. "And disable them one by one."

"What do you mean?" Adalyn looked horrified.

"Divided they fall, but united they stand." Jane nodded. "But no permanent injuries."

"I know." Ann rolled her eyes.

"No," Thorin shook his head. "A girl will not-"

"What?" Adalyn looked offended

"Excuse me?" Jane crossed her arms

"Do you want to rephrase that prick?" Ann raised an eyebrow.

"Three to one are not the best odds." Thorin realized he was in a room with only girls. "Two to one would be much better."

"Ann to three are great odds." Ann looked at Adalyn, "Plus Adalyn will join me once she's done with the first set."

"Alright." Thorin nodded. "Now leave so I may get my supplies packed." He crossed his arms.

"Alright but I'm taking this." Ann grabbed the map of the mountain pass.

Thorin's face remained passive, but Ann thought she saw a little bit of an eye roll.

Ann met Jane and Adilyn in the hall.

"Don't tell Fili I'm going to be the one who deals with the second stop." Ann bit her cheek. "He will most likely pull a Katniss."

"What?" Adalyn gazed at Ann and Jane confusedly.

"It's a reference to a girl who volunteered to get herself killed for her-"

"Why would she do that?" Adalyn covered her mouth.

"Because it was that or someone she loved." Ann put a hand on her shoulder.

"A valiant sacrifice." Adalyn smiled.

"But she didn't actually die, so don't worry." Jane smiled.

"Oh." Adalyn looked perturbed.

"Just don't tell Fili." Ann grabbed her pack from outside Thorin's door.

"Which one is he?" Adalyn looked to Ann.

"The handsome young blond one." Ann looked down the hallway. "He's that one." Ann waved to Fili, who saw her and walked over.

"What are we going to do next?"

Thorin stepped out of his room, and silence fell over the hall.

"Everyone's ready?" Thorin had a bag over his shoulder and his hood was on.

Everyone nodded.

"Aye." Balin nodded.

"Wait five minutes before following me Ann." Adalyn tapped the side of her nose. "But I'm telling them ten."

"Alright." Ann nodded and put on her straight face.

"I will go to the first set." Adalyn told Thorin. "Wait ten minutes before following."

Thorin nodded and set to work making sure everyone was ready. He checked Dwalin's hood, Oin's books, and Fili's cloak.

Ann waited, and waited. Really she hated waiting. Once when her mother had tried to force her to take a nap, back when she was six and hated taking naps, she had taken a pencil and written a story about a dragon and a knight.

It would suffice to say that many erasers were used getting the huge six year old hand writing off the wall, and that her arm was sore for more than a couple days.

Then there was the one time, where she had taken a half an hour to convince Jane to come out to the pool with her, and their mom thought they had run away. She had been about to call the police when she found a riddle under Jane's pillow leading her to the pool. Ann had taken the heat for that, and still remembered how hot it was the week she had been grounded from the pool.

Ann chuckled as she remembered time and time again taking the heat from her parents whilst Jane sat in her armchair reading. Ann remembered how Grandma had given Ann the ornamental sword that was still hanging up on her wall, but she had given Jane her favorite armchair. Ann nostalgically thought of how Jane and her would wrestle the other off of it, and see who could stay on it the longest.

Ann looked at her watch.

"Seems about time to go." Ann grinned and waltzed through the hall where there was no sign of the first set of guards. Adalyn must have already lead them off, perfect.

Ann looked back at the company who was following her trying to be inconspicuous. At which they were failing. Ann sighed and turned to check the two guards.

They weren't that intimidating, just one was massively decked in muscles. Ann bit the inside of her cheek and thought about how the hell she was going to distract the guards.

Ann looked across the hall. The bathroom, of course.

The perfect distraction.

But what would she have to act like to not arouse suspicion? A weak human girl. Ann thought about who acted like that. Jane. Jane slouched and dragged her feet, that's what she would do.

Ann slouched and trudged over to the elves, fiddling with her hands.

"I think there might be something wrong with the bathroom?" Ann tried to sound nervous. But that wasn't a problem, as she naturally felt that way at that point in time.

"Damn dwarves." The shorter one said vehemently. "If they ruined the plumbing they're going to have to fix it."

"Can you check it out, because they haven't returned yet." Ann tried to think of what Jane did when she was nervous.

"Fine, but dwarves are a tricky bunch." The elf eyed her curiously. "One might ask what a human is doing traveling with them?"

Ann felt a surge of annoyance, which in a usual situation she would have voiced loudly. But now wasn't the time. "They are helping me return home." Ann looked at the floor and shifted from foot to foot.

"I am Vaerin." The shorter elf nodded. "I will go then."

Ann almost cheered. "Okay."

They walked across the corner, and the elf strode into bathroom. Ann waited a moment, praying that there wouldn't be any men in there, and walked in.

There was no men, except for Vaerin.

Ann watched him check one room, then a second, Ann walked to the last. "Vaerin." Ann said with a small voice. "You might want to take a look at this." Ann pointed a shaky finger into the small room like urinal.

Vaerin walked over slowly, drawing his sword. "What is it?"

Ann crept behind him. She rolled her shoulders and pulled herself to her full height. She put her hood up.

Vaerin looked into the stall, lowering his sword.

Ann drove her clenched fist into his neck. As he didn't fall to the floor unconscious, she drew her sword.

Vaerin dried out in pain, dropped his sword, and spun around. He looked confused for a moment, before glancing around and looking less calm. "What have you done with the girl?"

Ann frowned as she looked up at him, and put the point of her sword to his throat.

An idea popped into Ann's head. "That girl is not of this world." Ann faked an evil laugh.

The elf put a step forward, but stopped as cold steel was pressed into his neck.

Ann was a little panicked, that blow to the neck was supposed to have taken him out. But he still looked conscious, well as conscious as any elf.

"What did you do, with that girl?" Ann saw Vaering glance at his sword then back at her.

"Turn around." Ann ordered smoothly.

Vaerin slowly did so.

"What do you see, with your elf eyes?" Ann grinned a bit and stepped closer to him.

"A toilet." Vaerin replied.

"Nothing else?" Ann took another step forward. "And you call yourself an elf?"

"What do I not see?" Ann positioned herself so this would work.

"Everything." Ann brought the hilt down on his neck, and he crumpled to the floor.

Ann winced at the bruise that was already forming. "I hope you have some ice, because that is going to hurt when you wake up."

Ann sheathed her sword and pulled down her hood, she stood for a moment with her hands on her hips. Then, setting her jaw, she grabbed ahold of Vaerin's legs. She tried to pull him into the stall put it didn't work.

"Oh my god." Ann dropped his legs and panted slightly. "Are you made of one hundred percent muscle? Damn you're heavy."

Ann slowly dragged Vaerin into the stall. Eventually it was done.

Ann trudged outside and leaned against the wall to catch her breath. It was harder than you think to drag a six three, maybe six four man, that probably weighed two fifty pounds into a stall.

Ann put on her scared face, and walked toward the one elf that was left.

"Where is Vaerin?" The elf looked at her immediately.

"That's why I came back." Ann looked down at her feet trying not to smile. "He hasn't come out of the bathroom."

"What? It's been so long…" The elf looked in the direction of the bathroom thoughtfully.

"I know I waited, but he didn't come out." Ann looked away.

"Come on Ann!" Ann thought "Your pet just died, even though you don't have one."

"I can't leave my post…" The elf kept looking from the hall to behind him.

"But what about Vaerin?" Ann panicked. "What if he's hurt?"

"I know." The elf said harshly. Ann thought it was time for some reverse psychology.

"I'll go." Ann took loud deep breaths.

The other elf looked dubious, as if he should stop her.

"Although," Ann shivered "I don't know, if Vaerin couldn't handle it, how could I?"

"You can't." The elf smirked. "If you go in there then you would be walking to your death."

"I thought that elves were supposed to be honorous." Ann frowned. Nothing, it seemed, was working. "What if your partner is hurt?" Ann almost grinned. "The dwarves would go and see if their friends are alright." Ann paused and put a finger to her chin. "Maybe I should get one of them?"

Ann grinned, this had most definitely affected him.

"I will go." The elf said. "But know this, your dwarven friends wouldn't last a moment."

Ann waited and smirked as the elf walked past her. "But neither will you." Ann whispered, and turned and followed him.

The elf walked into the men's, and Ann followed.

"So this is what a men's bathroom is like." Ann said quietly. "I thought it would smell nicer."

The elf didn't even spare her a glance.

Ann drew her sword, and dropped it.

The elf turned sharply and stared at her.

"Sorry, I'm not good at this sort of thing." Ann shrugged and smiled apologetically.

"Don't hurt yourself." He turned around and started looking inside the stalls.

Ann rolled her eyes at him, made a face at his back, and stuck her tongue out.

Ann crept up brought her sword up, and was about to hit him when he turned to look at the other stall. Ann realized he had a collar, so if she had tried to knock him out a moment ago, she wouldn't have, and it would have been bad. Ann almost sighed in relief.

Ann repositioned herself. "Where did Vaerin go?"

"I don't know." The elf was really annoyed. He opened the stall and saw Vaerin. A small noise that sounded like surprise came from the back of his throat.

Ann brought her hilt up, and smashed it into the back of his head.

He fell with a thud. Ann felt mildly bad.

Ann hurried out to the hall, and looked around the corner where the dwarves where. "Go, it's clear for now."

The dwarves hurried past. Ann looked down the hall, there was the blond elf from her and Fili's expedition to the kitchens.

"What are you doing?" He hurried toward them.

"Wandering, and nothing in particular." Ann grinned as the last dwarf jogged out of sight.

"No you're not." He drew his sword too.

"I'm not doing anything wrong." Ann inched toward the corner, if she hurried she might be able to lose him.

"What drawn, and talking of peace?" His lip curled into a sneer.

"I do but keep the peace." Ann grinned at her punniness.

"What are you up to?" He lifted his sword. "Where are your friends now? Have they abandoned you?"

"No." Ann glanced at his sword. She couldn't outrun him, she couldn't lose him, who was she kidding, he probably knew the house better than she would ever hope to. She had to out talk him.

Ann sheathed her sword. "What are you doing here? Hopefully not lost." Ann grinned innocently

The elf set his sword down. "No, I'm to replace my fellow elf in guard duty."

"In this hall?" Ann swore inside her head. "How coincidental. We meet again."

"Nothing is a coincidence." The elf narrowed his eyes at her.

"That's rude." Ann glared at him. "Well if you don't want me, then I get it, I've taken the hint, I'll leave." Ann stormed off, convincingly, she hoped.

"My lady, your rooms are not that way." The elf sounded slightly amused.

"I don't need your help." Ann hurried, if she sprinted she might be able to find the dwarves before they got to the third station.

"Wait, where are Vaerin and Druindar?" The elf was seriously suspicious now.

"Quit following me!" Ann turned back to face him. "You're being creepy."

Ann hurried off, leaving the elf standing there confusedly.

Ann had just gotten outside when horns sounded. Ann looked over her shoulder, soon elves were going to be looking for her, and that wasn't good. Ann sprinted down the path, trying to follow the white rocks, she hoped the dwarves were way farther along, and had already passed the third station, or else they would be caught.

"Wait." An elf shouted.

Ann pumped her arms, her cloak, pack, and sword weighed heavily on her.

She definitely heard a clopping of hooves behind her.

Ann sighed and quickly made a decision. Throwing her pack to the side, she strung an arrow onto her bow.

Pulling the string back, she turned and pointed it the nearest elf. "Stop or I'll shoot." Ann said hoarsely.

The elves didn't stop, but instead circled around her, their horses moving in sick, Ann now was turning.

"Why have you taken off? What are you doing running away from the homely house?" One called.

"It's because elves are dishonorable lying, thieving, jerks." Ann let down her bow. "And because you all smell."

"What are you up to?" Ann saw the elf speaking now, he had blond hair, and green eyes.

"I'm making my way away from here." Ann thanked the heavens none of them were continuing up the path. "Or is that not allowed?"

One of the elves opened his mouth to speak, but Ann cut him off. "Does your Lord Elrond take prisoner anyone that comes into his house, or is it just because Saruman, Gandalf, and Galadriel are here, discussing the fact that the dwarves going on an adventure to take back their home."

"What, how do you know about that?" The elf questioned.

"No wait, I'm not done yet." Ann took a step toward where her pack lie. "What if this house was burnt to the ground, and orcs overtook it. Would you, one of the only survivors come and take it back, or would you let yourselves be stopped by dwarves?"

"No dwarf could stop the revenge of the elves." One yelled out, and there was a murmuring of 'yes's' and 'of courses.'

"That is what I'm saying, the dwarves are trying to find their home, because they have none." Ann stomped. "And who are you to stop them?"

There was silence, and the horses stopped.

"Now let me pass." Ann picked up her pack and strode through the line of horses.

"But Lord Elrond said that the dwarves aren't to leave."

Ann turned, but continued walking backwards. "But the dwarves are already well into the mountains, I just came back because I forgot something." Ann shrugged. "So you're not going to catch them anytime soon."

Ann walked for about a minute before the horses started riding away. "And check the bathroom for Vaeren!" Ann yelled. "And tell him I'm sorry!"

Ann didn't wait for their reaction but sprinted away, then she realized instead of riding away, the horses were coming toward her.

Ann kept sprinting, not caring that she wouldn't make it into the mountains, but wanting them to not have the pleasure of seeing her give up.

"Wait!" It was Adalyn.

Ann stopped and turned around.

"What?" Ann watched as Adalyn stopped and jumped off her elegant brown horse.

"What did you say about Vaeren?" Adalyn asked.

"Wait, you know him?" Ann glanced at the horse, and took a step toward it.

Adalyn opened and closed her mouth, and a pink tinge appeared to her cheeks.

"Oh my God, are you two dating?" Ann grinned patting the horse's mouth.

"Well, it's past that, he and I are to be wed." Adalyn grinned.

"Congratulations!" Ann beamed at her.

Ann swung up on the horse.

"Wow it's high up here, I'm used to riding ponies."

"What did you say about Vaerin? And what are you doing on my horse?" Adalyn looked a bit suspicious.

Ann closed her eyes and slumped forward, breathing in the smell of the horse's mane. "If there ever was a time for you to run fast as the wind, do it now." Ann thought.

Ann spurred off the horse, and called out behind her to the confused Adalyn. "Check in the men's, the last stall to the left."

"What did you do to him Ann?" Adalyn sounded terrified.

"Nothing, he's just asleep." Ann laughed in what she hoped was a carefree and happy way.

"Ann come back!" Adalyn was too far behind Ann to catch up now, Ann was free.

As free as she would be for a while.


	6. The Winding Path Of Mountains

The horse stopped, and Ann nearly fell off into the chasm that lay besides the cliff.

"Keep going." She hissed. "I don't want to get off, no." Ann sat there resolutely on the horse.

It didn't move.

"Fine." Ann grumbled. "I need to set up camp for tonight anyway."

Ann hopped off her horse onto shaky legs. She unhooked her bags from the horse, and tossed them to the ground. She bent and started rummaging through them. She grabbed her flint and steel and held it up to the dying light.

There was a rumbling and Ann looked up to see a rock the size of a elf hurtling toward her.

Ann's eyes widened in surprise she grabbed her bag and dove out of the way. Ann curled up into the fetal position.

It wasn't fast enough, her foot exploded in pain. It felt like the time when she slammed it in the car door. "Mahal."

The bolder rumbled down the rest of the mountain. Ann leant against the mountain side surveying the damage. The bolder had knocked quite a bit of the path away. The stupid horse bolted her foot freaking hurt.

But on the upside she still had her pack and sword, though the bow was lost. Ann cradled her foot. She didn't think she was standing up anytime soon. Sighing Ann opened her pack and brought out her bundle of covers. She spread them over her legs and put her sword behind her, and crossing her arms and pulling her cloak tightly around her shoulders she closed her eyes.

Ann woke to a scuttling to her right, keeping her eyes closed she grabbed her sword and squinted at the mountain.

To her right was a pale pig looking creature wearing only a loin cloth. It was rooting through her bag.

Ann pressed her sword to its neck and jumped into a squatting position, ignoring the burning fire in her foot.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ann growled.

The goblin bounded out of reach of her sword and pulled out its own curved rusted looking blade.

"Getaway." Ann shoved her cover into her pack, and slung it over her shoulder. "I don't want any trouble."

The disgusting pig thing grinned and hissed at her, shuffling forward.

"For chrissake." Ann leant against the mountain wall, her foot was like standing on a pincushion. That was on fire. And it's pins happened to actually be knives.

Ann looked at the sky, the sun had not yet risen, and somehow Ann knew that when it did that thing would go back into it's hole.

It rushed toward her, Ann brought her sword up, and blocked it's swipe. It was a game of defense, Ann was pushed against the wall, and the pig thing was intent on not going away.

Ann stepped forward onto her uninjured left foot and brought her sword in an arc. The goblin leapt away, and stumbled off the cliff.

"Stupid thing." Ann turned away as it tumbled down, bouncing off the cliff face. "I hate killing things." Ann turned and went to walk down the path, and tripped.

Ann got off her knees and looked around the path for a stick. There was a gnarled looking one, that was up to her nose, that looked pretty nice.

Ann grabbed it, and started hobbling along. She tripped once or twice, and spilled her bag the first time. Ann glared at the sky, the sun had barely crossed the horizon, and Ann guessed it was close to five o'clock in the morning, but now that she was up, she might as well get a move on. As the dwarves probably didn't wait for her and her pace was going to be greatly slowed by the fact that her foot was screwed up.

"It's nothing." Ann muttered. "I probably just sprained it.

Ann imagined what Jane would say. "A rock landed it, how is that a sprain?" Ann could just imagine Jane walking beside her.

It wasn't broken, Ann knew that much. But it was swollen and probably like a concussion, but for a foot.

Imaginary Jane snorted at her. "Your tissues are just depraved of blood, don't worry you'll catch up to us by tonight." Ann sensed an emptiness in her mind.

Ann hobbled on, and she knew that it was about midday, or it should be, as her stomach was rumbling.

Ann paused and pulled an apple from her pack, and shivered. The wind was whistling through the rocks, it made a sort of melody, like a bunch of flutes trying to tune a C#.

Ann chewed the apple thoughtfully, how did she know she was going on the correct path? Ann finished her apple and pulled the map out of her backpack and spent the next half mile contemplating it.

"Why the hell am I the one who has to get lost?" Ann grumbled trudging forward. She had decided to continue on the path that she was taking. Not because of the map though, the map was utterly useless, everything was written in stupid runes and it was sideways. Ann had figured that out awhile back.

It was getting dark out and Ann still hadn't found the company. Were they in a cave? Not likely as those were few and far between, and some were plain creepy. Like one had lichen covering the walls, and another-

Ann shivered and turned her train of thought to something happier.

Trouble was there wasn't anything happy to think about, well besides the fact that Jane had magic, and she could see white runes without the power of the moon. There was also the fact that they were going to get captured by goblins. Ann wondered how soon that was going to occur. Would it be a week? Two? Ann sighed, she really needed to communicate more with Jane.

Ann stumbled a bit, it was getting really dark, but Ann didn't want to really stop and have a remake of what happened last night.

Ann hated those thingies. Ann was sure that there were more in the mountains. With her luck the mountains were probably swarming with them. At least they weren't goblins, Jane had told her how wicked those things were.

It was pitch black, and Ann's feet were killing her. She had blisters all over her foot and the other one was throbbing. Ann had definitely lost her way now.

Ann stared desperately into the now set sun and tried to find the moon, or the big dipper, or something! But she realized with a panic inspiring sigh that this world was different than the one she knew.

There was a rustling then something was against her throat. "Who goes there?"

Ann turned in surprise and almost screamed. Taking her stick she started swinging in the general direction of whatever had spoken. She hit them three or four times before they finally moved out of range.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME." She screeched.

"What, Ann?" There was more rustling to reveal Kili clutching his head and holding a torch.

"Oh," Ann was suddenly mildly embarrassed "sorry about that."

"What did you hit me with?" Kili took his hand off his head and checked for the nonexistent blood.

"Just this stick here." Ann leaned heavily on it. Her foot wasn't doing that great.

"Alright, we have a bit left over from supper, if you want it?" Kili led her silently through a sleeping camp.

"Thanks." Ann ate a cold dinner in silence.

"So what happened to your foot?" Kili was trying to make conversation, but frankly Ann was exhausted.

"A rock fell on it." Ann shrugged. "It's nothing."

Jane walked up and smacked Ann's head forward. "Idiot, take off your shoe."

Ann sighed and looked at Kili. "Did you wake her up?"

Kili shook his head. "Not I."

"Damn it, how'd you know I was here?" Ann groaned.

"I felt your presence." Jane glared at her and yanked off her shoe.

"Ow, stop, ow, ow ow." Ann yanked her foot away, set her stew down, and moaned. "Jane stop I don't want you to touch this foot ever again."

"Too bad." Jane held out her hand. "Now give me your foot or I'm getting Fili up."

Ann raised an eyebrow. "Nope, my foot has rights."

"The right to be given to Jane." Jane tackled her and continued to sit upon her knees.

"I don't even care anymore." Ann sat up against her pack and picked up her dinner.

"I think it's fine." Jane poked it, and moved her toe so the lighting was better. "You compressed it pretty well though, what did you do?"

Ann glared at Jane. "A rock fell on it."

"How?"

"Well, if you look around you," Ann gestured to the obvious mountainside, "you will see a multitude of rocks, many of which may be knocked down after a tussle with an imp."

Jane chuckled. "So nothing serious then."

"You don't believe me?" Ann crossed her arms.

"No, I just know that you can handle incidents of that sort." Jane sat down and prodded the fire.

"Why was it that you were held back? Did the elves catch up to you?" Kili said yawning.

"No, just some issues with the second guard after you guys got through."

"Alright." Kili yawned rubbed his eyes.

"What happened with the company?" Ann asked.

"Oh, nothing." Jane shrugged. "It was actually pretty normal while you were gone."

"I'm going to ignore that." Ann laughed. "But where's Gandalf?"

"Well, we don't exactly know." Kili looked over his shoulder at the company. "He hasn't met up with us yet.

"I think Thorin is planning to continue on." Jane looked at Ann.

"Oh yeah, because of Durin's day being so soon." Ann nodded.

The twins watched as Kili yawned again.

"Do you want us to take the watch?" Ann offered, ignoring the betrayed look Jane gave her. "Since I'm here and we're up and all."

"Yes, thanks." Kili smiled and got up. "I hate doing night watches." He stretched and walked over to his spot on the ground. He plopped down, and soon was asleep.

"I think you can do magic." Ann said bluntly.

"Thanks for your vote of confidence." Jane fiddled with her hands.

"When have you done it? Besides the time that you were projecting your thoughts into mine of course."

"Well before we got to Rivendell I might've killed an orc."

"While that feat is no doubt magical, I don't think it counts." Ann teased Jane.

"I threw him into a rock without touching him." Jane said quietly.

"You have the power of telepathy and telekinesis." Ann grinned.

"Why though? Why were we brought her? Why am I-" Jane looked up at Ann, feeling totally and completely lost.

"Don't worry." Ann put an arm around her. "You were protecting yourself, you're not bad person."

"No, it was protecting you." Jane looked up. "And what if I do that to one if the company and they die too?"

"You barely have done any at all. Just because it happens once doesn't mean it's going to happen every time you blink." Ann was serious. "You can't do it whenever, right?"

"I haven't tried." Jane looked out into the world, gazing at what seemed to be all the horrors of the world.

"Now's the perfect time to practice." Ann grinned and jumped up, leaning on her walking stick.

"What?" Jane swiveled to look at Ann.

"The real question is how." Ann leant upon her walking stick and looked back at the camp.

"We could try the telepathy again." Jane suggested nonchalantly. Ann grinned and plopped back down again so that her and Jane were face to face.

"How did you do it the first time?" Ann stared at Jane expectantly.

"Well, I was annoyed at you for not listening to me, and I was talking to you." Jane sighed. "That made absolutely no sense did it?"

"Some, but more than you would think." Ann put a hand over Jane's mouth. "Now try to tell me to take this off without using your mouth."

Jane glared at Ann, and licked her hand.

"Ew," Ann swiped her hand away "you have cooties."

"I can do that without your help thanks." Jane crossed her arms.

"Any time then."

They sat there, staring intently at each other.

"Of for chrissake, do it already!" Ann almost rolled her eyes.

"I'm trying, jeez what do you think I've been doing?" Jane narrowed her eyes at her.

"Certainly not trying hard enough." Ann retorted with a grin. Her vision was blurred like the one time she had poked herself in the eye and was seeing in colors and not shapes.

"Says who?" Jane stuck her tongue out.

"Me." Ann looked at Jane's face, something wasn't right. It was her eyes, they were changing colors.

"You look weird, what're you doing with your face?" Jane peered at Ann's nose.

"What're you doing with your face?" Ann mimicked childishly. "Your eyes are all purple and stuff."

"You're not using your mouth." Jane grinned at Ann.

"And you just did." Ann made a face.

"So I just have to really want to talk to you." Jane shrugged. "Easy as pie."

"Actually I was the one who started the conversation." Ann stood up.

"How does that work?" Jane rubbed her eyes. Ann's eyes still looked purple.

"I don't know you're the one with the super powers." Ann shrugged.

"It must have been the pre-established connection." Jane nodded.

"What about your telekinesis?" Ann grinned and rubbed her hands together. "Wait no, I already have something in mind, your input isn't needed."

"I only pray," Jane closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, "that I may survive this night."

"Hakuna matata my young padawan." Ann stood and hobbled off.

"What are we going to do?" Jane looked weary.

Ann grinned and bent over. "Why don't we have a fire?"

"Because it will attract unwanted attention." Jane looked around the eerily quiet camp.

Ann stood up and stretched. "Everyone here is horrible."

"I'm not." Jane deadpanned.

Ann threw a rock the size of a quarter at Jane.

Jane flinched away, and it hit her arm.

"I'm never doing this again." Jane strode toward Ann.

"Injured here, I'm calling an IOU." Ann laughed good naturedly.

Jane sighed and stretched, looking longingly at her spot of rock. "Should we get Fili up? I think it's his watch now."

"Were you even given a watch?" Ann raised an eyebrow.

"Nope." Jane grinned bashfully. "Really Kili just went to bed and didn't wake Fili up."

"That's great." Ann sighed. "I bade you never speak of this tragic and lamentable event again."

"You bade me?" Jane chuckled. "I guess this is really lamentable."

"You're lamentable." Ann made a face.

There was a silence broken only by the sound of wind shrieking through the mountains.

"You can wake up Fili, you know, if you really want to." Jane shrugged.

"What?" Ann moaned "I'm injured."

"Noes goes." Jane grinned, and slapped a hand to her face.

"Not fair." Ann sighed.

"Too late." Jane walked over to her spot of ground and laid down.

"You're a horrible person." Ann grumbled and resignedly trudged over to Fili.

Resisting the urge to kick him, she nudged him with the end of her boot which wasn't stained. Instead the brown leather just looked a bit muddy. "Get up."

Fili rolled over.

Ann's jaw almost dropped and she sent Jane a look of barely restrained exasperation.

"Fili get up now." Ann crossed her arms and tapped her toe.

"Have Kili do it." Fili started to pull the covers over his head.

"Oh, no you don't." Ann grabbed the cover and yanked it out of his hands. She looked at it for a second, it was actually his cloak.

"Give that back."Fili sat up and rubbed his eyes, and lunged for the makeshift cover.

"It's your watch, get up."Ann held the cloak to her chest, it was still really warm.

"Ann-" Fili stopped and looked up at her.

"Yeah?"

"Why were you on watch by yourself?"

Ann raised her eyebrows. "Not hello Ann, glad you've joined the company. But why were you on watch by yourself." Ann shivered, "And just so you know, Jane was on watch with me."

"Ah, it was Kili's watch." Fili sighed.

"Yeah." Ann held the cloak out.

"Keep it." Fili walked over to the cliff face and sat down. "You need it more than I do."

Ann slung it over her shoulders, and looked down. It dragged on the ground and the shoulders were as twice as broad as her.

"How did you manage to catch up to us without getting lost?" Fili smirked.

"I happen to be magical." Ann plopped down next to him and snuggled into his cloak.

"Did anything happen on your way here?" Fili pulled a knife from his sleeve and a stone from his pocket, and started running the stone over the blade.

"I ran into a imp thing."

"What did it look like?"

Ann thought for a moment. "It was short and bald and had elf ears that were really big." Ann held her hands to her face.

"A goblin then." Fili looked over at her. "Did you kill it?"

"If pushing it off the path counts." Ann.

Fili chuckled.

"What?"

"Did it trip?" Fili smirked at her.

"No." Ann glared lightheartedly.

Fili chuckled.

"I didn't trip either." Ann grinned along with him.

"Then what did you do to your foot?"

"A boulder fell on it." Ann said with a straight face.

"Really?" Fili all but rolled his eyes. "And did storm giants push it?"

"No." Ann leaned against him. Her eye's were heavy and her body ached, maybe it would be a good idea to sleep.

"Ann? Are you still awake?" Ann felt Fili nudge her, heard the wind through the mountains, felt the wind rustling her hair, smelt the despair that seemed to hang in the air.

It was then she descended into dreams.

At first it wasn't bad, she was just walking through the mountains, she could see the company a little ways off.

"Hello?" Ann looked around, something wasn't right. A goblin with ears as long as it's body and unnaturally proportioned limbs sprinted at her. Ann held up her arms, it was about to jump upon her. A bright light faded into sparks and one symbol. It looked like an H, except the vertical lines were longer and closer together, and the line connecting them was on a steep angle down. It was then she saw a person, Jane, standing off a ways. She tried to run, and it took long, so long, to get to her, and then Jane was falling. The whole company was, she watched on her knees as they fell into the dark abyss. Ann watched as the cliff seemed to fall in upon itself, then an arm made of stone. Ann turned and was standing in the middle of a burning circle of fire that was shrinking, closing in on her. Ann leapt over it to see a huge rock falling over her. Ann turned to run from it, and jumped off the side of a cliff, then she was the one falling.

Ann startled awake. She was still sitting against Fili, who was bringing his hand away from her and looking at her oddly.

"Are you alright now?" Fili curled his fingers.

"Yeah, perfectly fine." Ann looked around, the camp was still dark and quiet.

"You were having a nightmare." Fili stated, going back to sharpening his knives, he was onto a bigger one now.

"Yeah." Ann sighed.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Fili looked at her, and Ann squirmed uncomfortably, his green eyes seemed to see into her.

Ann worked her jaw, not really wanting to open up to a stranger she had known for a month or two.

"It's fine if you don't." Fili turned away, intent on staring down the cliff.

"Nah, it's just a dream, right?" Ann pulled Fili's cloak tighter around her.

"Go on." Fili looked back at her.

"Well first I was standing on the path walking along, and a thing was there from what I told you happened last night, then a light flashed and there was a thing it looked like-" Ann used her finger to draw in the dirt.

"That's khuzdul." Fili wiped it away. "Was there any more?"

"No but there was Jane and the company falling off the cliff and, and…" Ann trailed off. The dream was already fading from her mind, was there more?

"Do you want to go back to sleep?" Fili squinted at the horizon. "The sun's about to rise."

"Nah."

They sat in compatible silence. Ann tried to sort through her thoughts but questions seemed to beset her on all sides. How did this unceremonious tale end? When would they get home, and even better how?

Ann closed her eyes and pulled the cloak up to her chin, it provided small security in this world of seemingly endless troubles.

They watched the sunrise, in silence. Fili rose to get the rest of the camp up, and Ann handed him back his cloak, which he shouldered in silence.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Fili asked, adjusting his weapons belt for the fifth time.

"Yeah, nothing to really worry about here." Ann shrugged and ended the conversation by walking to Jane, and getting her up.

"Hey." Jane turned over and rubbed her eyes. "How'd you sleep?"

Ann looked at the sun again, eyebrows raised. She hadn't slept. But when she turned back to Jane her expression was schooled back to normal. "Fine." There was a pause. "Just feeling a bit lost right now."

"Oh what about?" Jane rolled out of her makeshift bed and started packing her backpack.

"Hey do you remember the day we met Fili and Kili and you stayed behind to check if had dropped anything?"

"Yeah." Jane glanced at Ann warily. It wasn't like her to change the subject to avoid talking about something she didn't like; she usually told you straight to your face whether you liked it, or more times than the former, not.

"Did you find anything?" Ann looked around as the sounds of the company being awoken became loud in the early morning hours.

"Not particularly." Jane sighed and turned to look at Jane. "Want a quick inventory check?"

"Yep." A ghost of a smile graced Ann's face as Jae groaned and unpacked her bag.

"We have a flashlight, spare clothes, compass, first aid kit, matches, which you cannot, in fact, have." Jane grinned at Ann, placing the items in uniform rows as she took them out of her bag.

"Did we ever find the duct tape?" Ann rummaged through her own bag, and unpacked it. "Because I have the cutlery and penknife."

"No, but my journal is unscathed." Jane held up a brown leather bound journal with a clip that held it closed.

"Have you been keeping track of the adventure?" Ann cocked her head, she appreciated all literature, though often envied Jane for being the writer of the two.

"Yeah, but don't tell Ori, he's the official keeper of this."

"I have the rope that Adilyn gave us." Ann looked up, and sat back, contemplating Jane who sat rummaging in her pack.

"I the toothbrushes and toothpaste." Jane placed the holder and bottle on the ground.

"But you don't have a sword." Ann glanced at her own side at which hung her own weapon.

"I have the one knife that you bought in the market." Jane grinned impishly.

"I have four." Ann took one from her sleeve. "And my handy-dandy sword."

"And?" Jane crossed her arms.

"Take it." Ann held it out.

"Why do insist on taking every single precaution to make sure you'll be fine in a pinch?" Jane rolled her eyes, but took the blade and stuffed it deep into her pack.

"Because I have a helpful voice in my ear telling me what's going to happen." Ann went back to rummaging in her pack.

Jane watched Ann for a second, feeling as if she had grown older than her sister by a thousand years. "There are some things that you just can't prevent Ann." Jane smiled sadly.

"I found band-aids." Ann held up a pack of snoopy themed band-aids.

"I've got this." Jane held up a pirate themed bandanna.

Ann broke into a smile. "I remember that."

"Sixth birthday party." Jane raised her eyebrows.

"That was the year I got to pick the theme." Ann laughed. "I still remember that cake that mom almost burnt down the house making."

"Good thing dad had the insight to preorder one." Jane reminisced. "You definitely got your cooking skills from mom."

"And you got mom's leaden feet." Ann teased.

"And her intelligence, jock."

"Nerd." They lapsed into silence as their packs emptied.

"I have this!" Jane held up a small bottle of advil.

"Let's agree to not use it unless under severe need." Ann eyed the bottle warily.

"Yeah, medo-phobe." Jane grinned as Ann stuck her tongue out. Ann hated medicine of all kinds.

"We should pack up now. It looks like breakfast." Ann quickly started shoving her pack full of her previously strewn around the ground stuff.

Jane stayed back and watched as Ann walked over to the congregation of dwarves around the pack of dried meat and some cram, which Jane hated with a burning passion. It tasted like stale pita.

Ann fit in almost exactly with the dwarves, she looked like one of the company not a member that was going to leave when she found the way home. But that was the problem. Jane didn't think that when it came time to make the decision to leave, she wasn't sure that Ann would be down with it.

Ann laughed and punched Fili in the arm lightly, who looked like he was chuckling.

Jane sighed, knowing exactly what Ann would say if she was told her suspicions about leaving, she would laugh, good naturedly of course-

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."


	7. Avoir Peur

Walking was boring. If you've ever walked with friends around an amusement park, this was different. For the first couple of days after Ann joined the company, they fell into a routine. They would get up before dawn, then start walking. Balin and Dwalin would take turns reading the map, and usually have a disagreement which they would take to Thorin. Thorin would brood over the map for a bit which would give them the time to stop for a meal. They would eat in silence, their meal consisting of bread and dried meats, and for the first couple of days, they had some cheese. But that didn't last long. Then they would walk some more, and they continued to do so until they found a wide enough space on the path for the company to sleep. If they were lucky, which they rarely were, they found a cave with nothing in it, that was big enough for all of them. But usually they were stuck with a wide space of the path.

Bombur was the one who came up with supper, he hoarded the rations and religiously guarded them, though he rarely ate outside of meal times. While he made dinner, Gloin and Oin would try to get Thorin to let them have a fire, he would always deny them. They would have something plain and meager for dinner. Then Dwalin would not-so-subtly bring up the watch schedule. Balin usually got first watch, Bofur, Dori, or Gloin, was assigned the second, then Fili would volunteer for third, and Dwalin would take the last watch. When the food was gone, and Thorin had stopped discussing plans with the company, people settled down to sleep, though it didn't come easy.

Some nights, when Ann was feeling daring and safe, she would try to sleep. She always claimed a spot along the mountain face, so she could lean against it and have a hand on her sword. It took a long time for sleep to come to her, and when it did, sleep wasn't pleasant. She would sleep deeply for a bit, no dreams. But then after her body got enough rest, the subconscious took over.

The dreams, or more accurately nightmares started off with someone from their company falling, Ann could never tell who. And someone else would fall with him. Though it wasn't Jane. As she was standing next to Ann holding rope away from her, just out of her reach. Then they were pulled underground, their feet sinking into the earth. Ann would emerge alone in a chamber she was separated from the group. And it was dark, so terribly dark. Like when you look out your window in the witching hour, and you can't see anything, even the stars. This part was the worst. Something crawled out of the darkness, and asked her questions, always the questions.

"Are you dead?" That was the first.

"Are you going to abandon your friends?" It sounded like it had a bad cold and had almost lost it's voice.

Ann would always shake her head. "No."

"But what about your family? Are you going to leave them too?" It rasped.

Then her mother would appear, to her left, and Fili would appear on her right.

"Are you going to leave me all alone?" Her mother put a hand on her shoulder.

"But you can't go back, you said-" Ann turned to look at Fili who had a hand on her shoulder too, but he was covered in blood, and had a curved blade stuck through his chest.

That was when she was woken up.

Fili shook her shoulder, and Ann sat up quickly.

"You're alright." Fili sat down next to her. "My watch is just starting."

"Okay." Ann blinked a couple of times, and rubbed her eyes harshly.

"You were dreaming." Fili turned to her and grinned. "People would say you're a sear you dream so much.

Ann rolled her eyes. "It's bad really, I feel like i don't sleep at all."

Fili chuckled and shook his head. "Was it about something different today?"

"No, same old same old." Ann looked away. She thought about telling him. 'No it had been different, today. Today you were covered in blood and had been stabbed.' Not even in her head did that sound smooth.

Fili took his swords out of their sheaths and took his whetstone and ran it along the blade. They fell into a companionable silence

Ann looked up at the sky, the stars were bright. She remembered how her father had gotten her a telescope for christmas one year, then took them out hiking so she could use it. That year she had learned so many constellations, she had forgotten some, but she still knew most of them. Though, as she squinted and looked around, the sky was not the same. She contemplated breaking the silence, but curiosity got the best of her. "Do you know any constellations?"

Fili set down his blade and turned his gaze to the sky. "Do you see those five stars?" He pointed at a pattern of stars bunched together.

"I see five stars." Ann laughed. "But I'm not sure they're the ones you're talking about."

Fili set down his whetstone and positioned himself closer to Ann. "They're the ones that are shaped like two holes in the ground."

Ann spotted them, they were a little to the left of where she had been looking. "Yeah."

"It's the constellation Wilwarin, though some from other places, elves for one, call it Vilwarin." Fili smirked. "It's a butterfly."

"Does it have a story?" Ann stared up at the stars, they looked rather like Cassiopeia, except for all smushed together.

"All stars have a story, though some have been lost." Fili craned his neck upwards, then closed his eyes.

Ann rolled her eyes and glanced over at Fili. His usual smirk had settled on his face and he looked like he was rather enjoying himself. "You're stalling so you can try to remember."

"Aye." Fili chuckled. "I think the tale of Wilwarin is this, Wilwarin was an elven princess, who father had led an attack on the dwarves, looking for their gold. But the dwarves conquered the elves, and laid siege to their city. In the last minutes of battle the king turned his daughter into a butterfly so she could escape the clutches of the dwarves. But, when she saw her people being slaughtered, Wilwarin flew away, so far that she reached the stars, and stayed there."

"Maybe it was because the dwarves she saw were so ugly." Ann teased.

Fili shook his head. "But my favorite, is well, do you see those two bright stars there?" Fili pointed over Ann to near the horizon.

"The two really bright ones?" Ann looked over and saw them, one an orangish, the other a whitish color.

"Do you see the line of stars beneath them."

"They look like legs, and well, bodies."

"Yes, those are the brothers Dwornik, and Dulek." Fili began. "They were the dwarves that slayed the first dragon, and they went on many adventures, though my favorite would be when they went and avenged their father Dwerin by defeating the king of olliphants."

"Have you ever seen an eclipse?" Ann was wide awake, and knew that even once Fili's watch was over, and him asleep once more, that sleep would post no claim over her.

"Have you?" Fili smirked.

"Yeah." Ann looked up. "I was coming home from school, and the sky darkened and I remember the girl who lived a couple of houses down from us screamed, but she was young then, eight or nine I think."

"I saw a blood moon once." Fili nodded.

"In Ered Luin?"

"No we were going to Silverbuck along the greenway pass, escorting merchants." Fili looked up into the sky as if remembering it. "It was a huge full moon, really quite bright. The men we were traveling with didn't react well. They said it was," Fili paused "an omen of the worst kind."

"Well that's not good." Ann chuckled. "Did they let you keep escorting them, or did they fire you?"

"Fire us?" Fili sounded scandalized. "They neither threw us into a fire, or burned us."

"No," Ann laughed, "it's a saying, it means they um, un-hired you."

"Oh, quite the opposite actually." Fili took up his whetstone again. "They were convinced that the reason their Gods did not strike them down where they were was because they were travelling with royalty."

"Oh yeah, you're a prince or whatever." Ann tried to sound nonchalant, but really she didn't know how Fili was going to react.

"Yea, or whatever." Fili rolled his eyes. "Really 'tis not a big title. Not at least until Uncle has reclaimed Erebor and becomes king."

"Huh." Ann located the constellation of Dwornik and Dulek. "How was the blue mountains?"

"It was home." Fili said simply. "Kili and I grew up there really, and Mother and Uncle were happy, I think, for a time."

"Was it big?" Ann laughed. "Did it snow?"

"Oh all the time." Fili rubbed his beard. "In November it would snow and snow, and once a while back it snowed so much that we couldn't go outside." Fili sighed. "It was back when Kili and I were still running around and causing mischief."

"Like you still don't do that." Ann teased.

"But now it seems you are the one who seems to be the cause of all this trouble."

"Nah." Ann smiled.

The steady constant sound of the whetstone eventually lulled Ann into an almost sleep-like state.

"Do you sharpen your blades?" Fili nudged her, bringing Ann back to reality.

"No." Ann closed her eyes. "Not like I'm going to use them though." Ann felt Fili's stare on her and realized that Fili was the type of person who was prepared for everything.

"Please stop looking at me." Ann sighed knowing that he would give her the typical boy scout motto.

"Not when we are on a mountain that has not been passed through for a decade. There are no telling what the dangers have been lurking in the shadows, and have followed us."

"Bleh, bleh bleh, bleh bleh bleh." Ann stuck her tongue out. " All I'm hearing is blah, blah, blah. Anyway, what would you have me do?"

"Give me your blades." Fili held his hand out.

Ann sighed and took the dagger out of her sleeve.

"And?" Fili looked at it for a moment and looked back at her smirking.

"And what?" Ann almost grinned, knowing that her evasiveness was one of her best traits.

"This is neither the knife I gave or the one you bought in the markets of the Shire."

"How do you know?" Ann raised her eyebrow.

Fili flipped the blade so it caught the light of the moon. "It's an elvish blade."

"Hmm." Ann grinned nervously. "That seems to be the case."

"Where do you get this?" Fili ran his thumb along the edge.

"Middle Earth."

Fili looked done, there was no other word for it.

"Is there any possible way you could be more specific?"

"Yep." Ann closed her eyes again.

"I swear on Mahal's hammer getting the simplest information out of you is like getting Kili out of bed in the morning."

"Thorin gets Kili up every morning without a problem." Ann let a smile twitch upon her lips.

"That is because, Thorin is-" Fili opened and closed his mouth a couple of times.

"Because Thorin's majesty is simply overwhelming."

"What?" Ann looked over to see a look of complete befuddlement upon Fili's face.

"Tell me the most defining trait about your uncle?" Ann watched as Fili stared off out into the distance.

"He's the, what did you say before? Definition of royal. He's always kingly, royal, regal-"

"Majestic?" Ann watched as Fili slowly nodded.

"Yes." Fili turned toward her. "But who is unmajestic, if Thorin is the definition?"

"Well, just in this company?" Ann stroked her imaginary beard.

"Yes."

"Well definitely not Thorin, Dwalin, Balin-"

"Me?" Fili was smirking.

"I dunno." Ann shrugged. "You're blond."

Fili sputtered. "So are you."

Ann fiddled with her dirty blond hair for a second before shoving it back behind her ear. "Yeah but I'm not a dwarf girl."

"Yes, but you are a girl." Fili nodded saddly. "Which is why you shouldn't be here."

"I swear to god all men here are sexist pigs." Ann took her knife back from Fili.

"Ann wait." Fili rolled his eyes. "I meant not to imply that you are weak."

"Yeah, I know." Ann repositioned herself against the cliff face. "But you still think me weaker than yourself."

"Of course." Fili smirked. "I'm better than everyone here, with the exception of Master Dwalin, and maybe Uncle."

"I do believe you've forgotten that I'm sitting here next to you." Ann elbowed him. A few of the company stirred. Ann shot Fili a look and they both sat there for a moment looking guilty.

"No, you've not been trained in the art of swordplay." Fili crossed his arms.

"And you have?" Ann rolled her eyes.

"By Master Dwalin, and my Uncle." Fili nodded.

"How was Dwalin as a teacher, I can't imagine it." Ann pictured Dwalin chasing children around an arena shouting 'You can only learn from experience!" Someone near the edge of the company rolled over quite loudly.

"He wasn't patient." Fili shook his head. "Or kind, or understanding. But he was a good teacher."

"Aye laddie." Dwalin sat up. "But you've not learned everything."

"I never said I did." Fili looked terrified of the fact that the scariest member of the company had just caught him talking about said member.

"Though you have learnt enough." Dwalin nodded to himself.

"Aye." Fili nodded at Dwalin, who nodded back and walked around the perimeter of their camp a couple of times before settling back down.

"If you were ever killed, how would you want to go?" Ann had been asking herself this a lot lately.

"I would want to be killed in battle. It would be an honorous death, I would die protecting kin." Fili answered after an almost imperceptible pause.

"Would you really? Because then they would all be sad that you'd have died, and well what if you never got to say good bye?" Ann mumbled, barely louder than the whetstone on steel.

"Aye." Fili nodded. "But I would rather die than my kin fall."

"You wouldn't get a tomb, you would be burnt in the pyre."

"No, I'm a descendant of Durin, they wouldn't show such blatant disrespect like that."

"I think I'd want to die of age surrounded by family." Ann thought for a moment. "But I don't really have any family here."

"Then where are they?" Fili stopped his stone.

"In a land far away, the like of which you will not find in the world today." Ann had a momentary vision, of Bilbo pouring over a book, it was leather bound and-

"What do you mean? The undying lands of the elves?" Fili questioned.

"No, not there." Ann sighed.

"Then why can't they come?" Fili looked over at her.

"Because things aren't that simple." Ann glared at him.

"Why are things complicated than?"

Ann stared at Fili, dumbfounded. "Because I don't know how I got here, I don't even know why I'm here. And the worst thing is Fili, I'm not sure I can get back." Ann looked down, she definitely wouldn't cry in front of Fili.

"Well that's not good." Fili put his arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah."

"Too bad Gandalf's not with us. He probably knows how, or the people in Rivendell." Fili looked down at Ann. "Though I don't know why you didn't ask him before."

"It's because I was having too much fun, and I didn't think about home before."

"Why don't you get some sleep? I'll still be here." Fili didn't release her though.

Honestly, Ann just wanted to sleep. Really sleep. But she couldn't, because she knew the nightmares would come. She hadn't really truly slept for two days.

"I'm not tired." She lied.

"Alright." Fili didn't look convinced but he left it at that.

When the company arose that next day, Ann was sure that something was going to go wrong, like the time she had tried to microwave a potato, and as the clock ticked down, the feeling in the pit of her stomach grew and grew until Jane walked in and she tackled her out of the kitchen as the microwave exploded, or more accurately the potato inside it.

"Jane." Ann was hovering over her sleeping bag. "Get up."

"What do you want?" Jane rolled back over.

"For you to get up." Ann glared at the lump inside of the bedroll, like doing so would make it get up.

"But I want to sleep." Jane moaned.

"And I want chocolate, but we can't always get what we want." Ann nudged Jane again with her foot.

"Fine." Jane sat up and rolled out of bed shivering in the crisp morning air.

"Fine." Ann was momentarily amused, but the feeling faded as the block of dread fell into her stomach.

They were soon walking, and the day started well. They talked quietly among themselves for a while, until about noon when the path got too thin. Then came the rain.

It came out of nowhere leaving everyone to scramble for their hoods. It was crashing down like no tomorrow. It was frigid and soon, everyone was soaking and frozen to the bone.

The path got especially narrow and everyone was facing away from the mountain, packs pressed against the mountain, trying not to fall or slip off. Bombur had to give his pack to Ori to avoid being too large to fit on the path.

It was an understatement that everyone was miserable. Balin and Dwalin were checking every cave they got to, but these were too small to fit but three or four people at a time. They pushed on. It had been hours, they were walking farther than they would have stopped normally. But at Thorin's unrelenting telling they needed to walk longer to even out their slow pace. While his logic made sense, Ann still didn't like it.

Ann let her left hand trail against the cliff face. The whole world felt cold and dark. It felt dark, and the sinking feeling of dread in her stomach hadn't gone away. Ann had barely been able to force a meager lunch down her throat. Fili had thought she was trying not to eat it all at once and had offered her some of his. She had refused, insisting that he eat it. He wouldn't budge and it wasn't until Ann refused to eat anymore of her lunch until Fili had eaten all of his that he stopped grumbling.

Then a boulder had come scarily close to hitting them. Ann thought that would be the end of the feeling, but even with the rain lightening up, and talking with Bofur, it was still there. It was night now, and Ann could barely see.

Ann slipped and felt herself become weightless. The world slowed. Fear filled her, and as she looked down, she couldn't even see the bottom of the valley. It felt like years, she saw Jane in front of her take another step forward, and Fili from behind her lung with his hand out.

It took Ann a second to grasp what was really happening and that she should try to grab Fili's hand. And then more time to get her body to react to it, but once it did the world went back to regular speed. Ann fell hard on her elbows, her body was over the cliff, they were the only thing keeping her up. But it was wet, and Ann felt herself going farther off the edge, the gravel of the pathway scraping her arms.

"Ann!" Fili was right beside her, but she was still slipping. Soon she had gone from her elbows being semi on the ground to her fore arms, and she was afraid. Afraid she was going to fall upon the rocks and become dinner for the buzzards of middle earth. Afraid that she would never see her friends and family again. Ann was petrified. Her fingers were shaking, and they were clenched so hard that it hurt. Ann tried to shift her weight so she could get her midriff onto the path again, but it caused to slip even more. She tried again but to no avail. She slid off and with a cry was brought to her hands.

Ann felt her fingers slip and in a last ditch effort she grabbed onto a rock with her right hand. She felt it cut into and break the skin of her palm. Ann flung her left arm out and grabbed a another piece of jutting rock that would serve as a hand-hold a bit off lower than the path way.

Fili grabbed her hand, and tried to pull her up. But in doing so he made it even worse. Her hand slipped from his grip.

Her right hand slipped. She twisted and became weightless once more.


	8. 8 Falling Into Goblin Town

**YO MA MAEYS~ I'm so sorry that I haven't posted anything lately... like wow. Because right after finals I kinda had a grade drop aand my electronics were taken away so I could focus on getting them up... So now that I'm back (hopefully for quite a bit) I really want for this story to move forward... Anyway I really hope you guys enjoy. But it's kind of late right now and I really wanted to post something to let y'all know that I was alive... and ya. So I hope y'all enjoy...**

If life was a box of chocolate's, Ann wanted to know when she was going to get one that didn't taste like Bertie Bott's every flavored beans. It was just one rotten chocolate after another, bad experiences kept on running right up to of Ann's most abhorred memories was one at the county fair. Usually it was quite the opposite, and people enjoyed the rides, people and food. Ann liked the people and the food, just not the other one. She hated to ferris wheel. It took too long up high in the air, and the Kraft Mac'n'Cheese sponsored one at the fair had nothing to keep you from jumping or falling out. Then there was the pirate ship, that rocked back, and forth, and went higher and higher until you felt yourself go weightless. That was the worst, when she was a child she had almost slipped and gone over the rails on it. That was when she had started hating heights.

Really it had started out small, like her not wanting to be on the top bunk anymore, and having Jane switch with her. Then she didn't want to go into fort in the tree that their father had made with them when they were small. He was absolutely crushed when she stopped wanting to have their annual summer 'campouts.' Then there was the final time when she was twelve and she had run away from her grandparents at the fair when they tried to make her ride the ferris wheel. She hadn't found them for an hour.

Suffice to say, Ann had never felt as scared as this, this weightlessness? Not the butterfly feeling you get when you get handed a chocolate, but the kind of feeling you get when you left your project at home, and your teacher tells you that you get a zero. The kind of feeling you get when you realize that something has happened to your Mom, or your Dad. The kind of feeling you get when you're at a funeral.

Ann woke up, and her head hurt. She opened her eyes and sat up, realizing that she had actually fallen, and was not in fact in any afterlife. Unless heaven felt cold, and windy, and wet, and rainy-

Ann sat up, looking wildly around, which only inspired a dance of black dots in her vision. Ann gasped and cradled her head in her hands. With a deep breath Ann took her hand from her head and was hit with a deep bout of nauseousness. There was blood covering her hand.

"Great. Just my luck." Ann wiped her hand on the jacket she was wearing, it wasn't hers. Ann struggled to remember what happened before she fell. She was walking, and it was raining-

"One step at a time Ann." Ann struggled to make her breath deeper and not hyperventilate. "Yeah, it was raining, and, and Fili gave me his coat. It was dark too." Ann felt like screaming. It was like walking through chest deep water, trying to remember. Ann stood up, gripping the wall to keep from falling.

"God why do I have to be the one to get into such deep shit?" Ann shouted, kicking the cliff face. "Does it even matter how I got here? I fell. Really that's it." Ann muttered, but it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.

Feeling for her sword she discovered it missing. With a feeling of panic akin to when she was running late and couldn't find her phone, Ann frantically swept the ground looking at every crevice-

It was hanging off of the ledge, and it was falling-

Ann dove for it, and grabbed it by the strap that hooked the scabbard to her belt. As the relief faded, Ann was smashed with a black cloud. Ann couldn't see.

Ann crawled back to the cliff face, and found her pack along the way. Leaning against the rock, Ann unsheathed her sword, and with fumbling fingers reattached the scabbard to her belt, this time making sure the knot was tight. Ann sat there for a while, sometimes rubbing her eyes, or waving her hand in front of her face, in case it was night, and she wasn't blind.

Ann soon began to panic. It was a slow mounting panic, like when you realize you forgot something, or when you're phone is running dead. But really Ann felt horrible. She knew she was screwed when she felt tears slowly building up with unshed tears.

"What am I supposed to do?" Ann put her head in her arms, drawing her knees up to her chest, and letting the tip of her blade rest upon the ground, Ann began to stop panicking, and become angry. "I did everything the way the movie says it-"

Ann took a deep breath, "But maybe, it's supposed to be like the book." That was Ann's problem, she had seen the movies, not read the books. "Maybe fate wants the plot to be different."

But that brought up a new question, what was different in the movies?

Ann heard a scuffling to her right, and automatically looked up, and to her relief found that the black in her vision was gone. She looked around and saw that the sky was composed of mostly clouds, and a couple of patches of faint washed out blue. Grinning, Ann grabbed her pack, and slung it over her shoulder, filled with a hope that maybe she could get to the mountain with the dwarves and rejoin them, after all, the last time they were separated it wasn't that bad.

Ann walked in the direction that the sun rose. She assumed that she had only slept the night and part of the day away, and hoped that she wasn't wrong. After a while, she began to get bored. She tried to make shaped out of the clouds in the sky, but after almost stumbling off the path, she deemed it a bad idea. Her next game was trying to remember all of the tunes she could, and whistling them, but when humming Carry On Wayward Son, a creepy off key echo came back to her, and she grew silent.

It was lunch time, and Ann wished now that she didn't have Fili's cloak thing, because it was heavy and fell down past her knees, which made it hard to walk. But when nightfall came, she was thankful, as her blanket had gotten lost in her fall, along with most of her provisions. So Ann was rationing herself, but speed walking and jogging are hard when one has an empty stomach.

It had gotten dark quickly, and she settled for sitting and having some cram and really salty meat. It was at this time, that Ann wished she had a waterskin, but all of those resided with Bombur. But when it became too dark to walk, she wasn't very tired, and to take her mind off of her stomach's incessant growling, Ann amused herself with thinking to remember the Hobbit's plot.

"We know there are three movies. One where they get Bilbo, one where they kill the dragon. Then the last one, is where they all die." Ann frowned, and tried to remember more about the last movie. She had brought her boyfriend Alex with her, and had fallen asleep during the movie. Ann put a hand through her hair, which came out covered in flakes of dried blood.

Swallowing the bile back down her throat, Ann tried to work out most of it, but her head was so tender that she was only able to get a very little of it out. Ann gave up and tried to start with the names if the movies.

"Desolation of Smaug, no wait that's not it. Um, a journey through the Shire, the unexpectedness of fate, the unexpected journey. Yep, that's the one. Then they uh, get to the mountain, and uh, kill the dragon, which is the death of Smaug. No, desolation of Smaug." Ann grinned smugly, proud of the fact she could remember that. "And then the Battle of Five Armies." Ann chuckled, remembering how she had waited for Jane to stop crying over the death of Kili, Thorin, and… Fili. Ann realized with a jolt that she really didn't want Fili to die, especially at the hands of the white bad guy, "Azog the defiler." Ann muttered.

There was a cackle, and spinning around Ann realized that it was coming from a cave she had passed a couple of paces back. Recalling what Thorin had said about goblins in the mountain caves, Ann decided to put as much distance between her and the goblins that may-or-may-not-exist as she could.

Marching onward, keeping her right hand on the wall to her right, and her left tightly gripping her sword, though it was a bit awkward as she was right handed, Ann hurried forward. The cackle was closer now. Ann turned and let out a curse, as the goblin was only a few feet from her.

She took a swing with her right, and then brought her sword up and slashed savagely. The goblin took a couple of steps back, and disappeared into the murky darkness.

Ann came to a curve in the path, and quickly ruffled through her bag, and retrieving the tiny box of strike anywhere matches. She lit one, and switched her hands, so her sword sat in her right hand again.

Ann let the match burn until it was almost searing her fingertips, before dropping it and quickly lighting another one. This one too, took too little a time to burn, and Ann was fumbling to light the third match when the goblin came at her. She barely had time to shove the matches in her pocket before his curved piece of bone-knife was swinging at her.

Ann lifted her sword, and the impact of her block rebounded into her arm and up her shoulder into her head. Ann clenched her teeth, and took a half hearted swing, but she was exhausted from walking all day, and she was sore all over.

Ann heard a thump behind her, and turned to see another goblin. The first one, which had an uglier snout than the second, knocked her blade to the ground, and she was forced at the end of the blade to the cave, where there were goblins dancing around a fire and beating drums.

The drums only added to Ann's ever growing headache. There was a screeching and all of the goblins swarmed her, and Ann never felt so invaded in her life. She landed a good few punches, before one got her back right in the head, which inspired a bout of dizziness. Ann fell to the ground, but the pinching grabbing hands pulled her back up, and now that her pack, and sword was gone Ann was shoved to a chute where she found herself falling.

The weightless feeling tore a scream out of Ann and she felt a rush of adrenaline, she tore a knife out of her boot, and slammed it into the wall, where it felt like it wasn't slowing fast enough. The tunnel evened out a bit, so it wasn't falling so steeply, Ann realized she had to stop here, or else she would fall into the goblins clutches. Ann felt around Fili's coat, surely there had to be a knife-

Ann's clumsy fingers found it, and pushed it into the wall, and with an earsplitting screech of metal on rock, she came to a stop. Ann hurried to brace her legs against the chute, but it was hard, as she was pushing herself against the wall to keep herself from falling.

With a half sob, Ann realized that she was in way over her head. In goblin tunnels with no idea where the hell she was supposed to go, besides down. Ann realized she would just have to go down fighting. Shoving Fili's knife into her boot once more, Ann prayed that they wouldn't torture her or the like, that they would just kill her quickly.

With a last deep breath Ann let her legs give out, and with a gasp, she was falling once more.


	9. 9 A Different Perspective

Jane caught up to Thorin and shouted to be heard over the pouring rain. "It would probably be better if we stopped now-"

Thorin turned to her and narrowed his eyes. "We keep moving."

"It's actually more dangerous to keep going, but if you want to take that risk, alright." Jane huffed, angry at Thorin for disregarding her. "You'll be the one to bear the consequences." Jane waited for Bifur to pass her then trudged behind him, not wanting to have to be near Thorin and his stubbornness.

True to his word Thorin didn't let them stop past sunset, though it was more like a gradual darkness. He told the company it was because the sunset earlier in the mountains and they had lost time with the elves. Jane huffed and pushed her emotions out. It wouldn't do to cause an argument in a already falling apart company.

Time seemed to wear on. Jane shuffled and trudged, all the while thinking about what they were going to do once they had finished this quest. Jane wasn't sure what was going to happen. Ann had already laid down some roots here in middle earth. But what about the family tree that was already thriving back in West Virginia? The family friends, half finished college degrees-

Jane sighed and shook her head, now was not the time to be thinking so far into the future, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

There was a scream and Jane whipped around to see Ann hanging from the edge of the cliff. Time slowed down, and Jane was pushing past Bofur, Fili was already there, trying to pull her up. There was a moment where he tried to pull her up, and Ann was slipping.

Jane dove and her hands were almost there, her fingertips brushed Ann's falling wrists, then she was gone, fallen into the murky darkness.

It wasn't like the movies, Jane thought as she sat there for a moment, the brunt of what had happened didn't fully hit her until Bofur came up to her. Some time in the melee the rain had stopped.

"She fell." Jane said dumbly.

"I'm sorry lass, I know how it feels to lose kin." Balin patted her once on the shoulder.

It was a bit awkward right after she fell, the group just sat there while Jane knelt there, wondering how the world could keep on spinning if Ann wasn't there. Jane thought about Ann, her constant, almost incessant smiling. What would Jane do now that her other half was gone?

The worst part of the feeling inside of her was that she was sure that Thorin wouldn't allow them to stop for a funeral. But how would Ann go to heaven, if she wasn't properly put to rest? How would she meet Jane in the afterlife? Would they ever see each other again, Jane couldn't imagine a life without Ann. Something had lodged herself in her throat, and wouldn't come out. Jane swallowed twice, before giving up and bringing her knees up her chest. Truly, Jane would die rather than live without her.

Fili felt funny, like he was about to laugh and cry at the same time. But nothing was funny at all. Bofur and Dwalin were arguing in heated whispers whether or not they should spend the night there.

Thorin frowned at the both of them and held up a hand. "We will stay to have dinner, and then we set off again. We will light a pyre for Ann when we get to a cave. But we must continue, as we have little time before Durin's day."

Kili came and sat gingerly by Jane "Hello."

Jane scrubbed her eyes. "Hey."

"Thorin said we're moving on in a bit."

"Oh." Jane frowned.

"Do you want to say anything, I think that with funerals for men, the father in this case, would say something."

Jane tried to blink away tears, but seeing as Ann would never get the chance to see their Mom or Dad again it was too much. Jane realized that Ann was truly cheated out of almost her whole life, she should've lived a good 60 years more, she deserved that much.

Kili looked at Jane helplessly, seeing how his remark had only made her eyes misty. "Or, I mean you don't have to. In dwarvish funerals they are buried in a tomb with their parents, and the family would set one of their valuable possessions near them so they would enjoy the afterlife."

Jane took a deep breath and patted Kili's arm. "Thank you."

"Yeah, perfectly fine." Kili shrugged, and let out a rather loud breath.

"Ann was great you know?" Jane shook her head. "She was great at everything, well except for grammar but who is really? She was constantly making jokes and really brought life to the world."

"Yeah." Kili nodded fervently, "Ann was really funny and kind."

"She hated bullies, because when we were in kindergarten we were in separate classes."

"Um ok." Kilil looked lost.

"There was this one kid who would take my cookie everyday. When Ann heard about it, she went up to him and kicked him right in the shins."

"Sounds about right." Kili nodded. "One does not simply excuse theft."

"But that was when I started looking up to her, right?" Jane picked up a rock from next to her and threw it into the abyss. "I thought, wow look at Ann, she's my older sister, she's great. I thought she could do anything."

"I know the feeling." Kili too threw a rock.

"Yeah, Fili seems like the nice older brother type."

"He would steal me sweets from the kitchen." Kili grinned nostalgically. "I could never get them for myself, the cook would always catch me."

"Were the sweets any good?"

"Yeah, but Fili would always make sure I wasn't eating too much."

"Yeah, but Ann wouldn't ever actually treat me like a little girl." Jane threw another stone, this time going farther. "Like she would always respect my opinions and give me a chance to do things my way before she over ruled me."

"Not Fili. It's his way or no way."

"Meus via aut capio ineris." Jane smiled. "It's my way or the highway in latin."

"Latin? What's that?"

"A language." Jane sighed. "One of the first, but practically no one speaks it anymore."

"How do you know it then?" Kili wrinkled his nose.

"My mom was a teacher, she taught college kids Greek and Latin at West Virginia University."

"Oh." Kili nodded.

Jane laughed, "You've no idea what that means do you?"

"No, not really." Kili grinned bashfully

"Well my mom taught us a couple of odd phrases now and then."

"What did your father do as a trade?" Kili asked curiously.

"He worked financial in the Robinson Run." A hint of pride crept into Jane's voice.

"What's that?" Kili chuckled.

"Well it's the person who managed the money in a coal company."

"My father was a coal miner." Kili looked at Jane nervously.

"That sounds fun."

"I don't think it was." Kili shook his head. "Coal mining is considered less than appropriate work for dwarves. It's like-"

"Being a peasant." Jane offered.

"Yeah, exactly." Kili nodded.

"No one is considered a peasant where we come from." Jane sighed. "I think the race of men are a bit less judgemental than dwarves though."

"What's it like where you come from, is it much different?"

"Very." Jane sighed. "My Mom and Dad would let us roam free as kids, and since we had such a big property we spent a lot of time outdoors."

"Did you play any games as a kid?" Kili grinned.

"Loads. We played card games a lot. Ann loved playing cards." Jane's voice shook. "She always kept a deck on her, I think she even had one when she fell." Jane choked out the last couple of words and fell silent.

"What are cards?" Kili scrambled for another subject.

"Little pieces of cardboard with symbols painted on them. There are four suites and thirteen cards to each suite, there's two through ten, and an ace that serves as one."

"I get it." Kili said slowly. "But what are the other three cards?"

"There's the jack, queen, and king, and the king is better than the queen and the queen is better than the jack. But in some cases the ace is above everything."

"Is there a prince card?" Kili grinned.

"No." Jane shook her head with a smile. "So there are four of each kind of card, but the thing that distinguishes them is the suite, which is either a heart, diamond, both of which are red, and then there's the two black suits, spades and clubs."

"Is there a suit that lies above the rest?" Kili threw a rock into the abyss. "Like the Ace."

"No." Jane threw a rock.

"What do the clubs and spades look like? The heart and diamond are pretty self-explanatory."

"The spade looks like an upside down heart with a little stick through it."

Jane tried to draw it in the rubble next to them, but it ended up looking like a blob.

"That's not what it looks like." Jane swept her hand through the pebbles, restoring them to their arbitrary places.

"What about a club?" Kili asked, not wanting Jane to fall back into a dark mood.

"It's a three leaf clover."

They fell into a silence broken only by the wind's whistling and the occasional scream of something sinister.

"Kili you have first watch." Bofur called.

"Alright, I'd better go then." Kili stood up then squatted down again. "You should come too."

"No, I'm fine." Jane continues tossing pebble after pebble into the abyss.

Kili sighed and slowly walked off, his eyes glues on Jane the whole time. Kili sat down next to Fili, who was sitting with whetstone and his favorite knife in hand.

"Are you going to sharpen your knife, or are you just holding it?" Kili laughed.

Fili blinked and looked at Kili. "What?"

"Are you feeling alright?" Kili looked Fili up and down, he wasn't usually this out of it. "Where'd your coat go?"

Fili opened his mouth but something flashed in his eyes, and he closed it again. "When are we going to have supper?"

"Right now I guess." Kili looked around. "But Thorin wants to wait until we find a cave to light a pyre. It's safer."

"She might still be alive." Fili sent a half hearted glare at Kili.

"I don't know brother." Kili clasped Fili's shoulder.

"She has to be."

"She fell off a cliff. Naught but a God could survive that."

"Go away Kili." Fili's jaw clenched and he jerked his shoulder out of Kili's reach.

Kili looked hurt and looked over to where the camp was congregating to Bombur. "Well it's time to eat anyway."

"Go Kili." Fili started running his whetstone hard against his knife.

"Alright." Kili stood up, and paused for a moment opening his mouth, then he sighed and walked away.

Fili fumbled his whetstone and dropped it. "Mahal curse everything." He muttered angrily, standing up and searching for the small square stone. He bent down and snatched it from the ground, rubbing the dirt off on his coat.

"Dinner's almost gone laddie." Bofur tapped Fili's shoulder.

"And?" Fili spun around, glaring at Bofur.

"You should eat." Bofur pushed the bowl into his hands, and frowned at how they were shaking.

"I'm not hungry." Fili reluctantly took his bowl.

"Not being hungry won't bring her back you know." Bofur clamped a hand on to Fili's shoulder.

"She's not-" Fili's eyes widened and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Laddie," Bofur felt a twinge of guilt at the betrayal in the light blue eyes, "whilst she might be alive, she also might be dead, the chances of her being alive are slim. It's as possible as an elf being honorous." Bofur squeezed his shoulder and watched as Fili stared into his stew.

"I don't want her to be gone." Fili muttered, sounding as though his nose were clogged.

"Aye."

"But now that she's gone-" Fili's voice cracked.

"You don't want to go on, I know, I know." Bofur nodded understandingly. "But you owe it to your uncle to keep going and finish this quest."

"But I don't want to." Fili was still staring at his bowl.

"It may seem hard now, but she would want you to." Bofur gave his shoulder one last squeeze and walked over to where Kili was sitting alone.

"Did you talk to him?" Kili gazed up hopefully.

"Aye."

"And he's alright?" Kili played with the food in his bowl.

"He'll move on." Bofur gave a small smile in sympathy.

"But what are we going to do about Jane?" Kili looked over at the edge of the path, where Jane was still sitting throwing rocks.

"She's wise." Bofur nodded. "She won't lose herself to the grief. At least while she has a purpose."

"I hope she knows she has a place here." Kili muttered.

Bofur sent him a grin

Kili's ears went red. "Everyone does."

"Aye laddie."

"But I don't know about Fili." Kili turned the conversation serious again. "I've never seen him this torn up."

"He might have fallen in love."

"If that's what love looks like, I think I'll pass." Kili shook his head.

"I don't think you have the choice anymore laddie." Bofur smiled, a small amount of mirth appearing in his eyes.

"Of course, there's a dwarrow maid sitting at home awaiting my return." Kili rolled his eyes.

Bofur smiled and shook his head. Chuckling at the young dwarfs obliviousness.

"I'm worried about him though." Kili's eyes returned to his brother.

"You should be."

"What?" Kili asked curiously.

"You need to keep an eye on your brother," Bofur looked older as his usual grin fell of his face and black bags became more prominent under his eyes, "make sure he doesn't do anything rash."

"Of course." Kili nodded faithfully. "But why would he do anything?"

"No reason." Bofur stood up and started toward Bifur muttering, "Only people who's One die tend to feel suicidal."


End file.
